A Future Riddle
by HorseLoverTW
Summary: What would happen if the events in HP were real, but they all happened far into our future? Could someone that was immortal, a vampire for instance, try to change those events? Tom Riddle's new DADA teacher might be able to answer these questions and more
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: I know you might not recognize any characters for a while from HP verse, but please bear with me. I do have a plot in mind. I promise! _

**A Future Riddle**

**Jessie "Jinx" Pandora**

Jessie Pandora was just your average seventeen year old girl. She loved horses, soccer, Harry Potter, frappichino's, the works, and if you met her, you would probably say that she was your typical High School Senior. But what you don't know about Jessie, is that she's allergic to the sun. She drinks blood. Her heart doesn't beat, and she'll never grow old. That's right. What you don't know about Jessie Pandora, is that she's a Vampire.

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It all started on the night of her school's prom. She had gone with a date and her best friend to their Senior Prom. Jessie didn't usually go to dances or parties much, so the event had been interesting and very memorable. Especially when her best friend, Terry Norton, had stolen a dance away from Jessica Maybury, the most popular girl at Crossing Roads High. Terry had 'accidentally' knocked the cheerleader out of the way and began dancing the slow song with the captain of the football team, Jack Hudson, who was widely regarded to be the most handsome boy in a four county radius. Jack hadn't seemed to mind the swap much.

In the car ride home that night, or morning, however you look at it, Jessie had just finished listening to Terry recount her conquest for the hundredth time, when all of the sudden, a deer shot out in front of their car. Terry swerved the car so sharply, that it ran off the road and slammed right into a large oak tree.

Jessie wasn't quite sure when she had regained consciousness, but what she did know was that she was staring at her life long best friend's corpse. Terry's eye's were open in shock and her long black hair was drenched in the blood that was dripping from the gash on her forehead. Jessie, in a state of shock, slowly reached over and closed her friend's eyes. She forced herself to look away from the sight and managed to swallow a few lung fulls of air as she began disentangling herself from the wreckage.

Once Jessie was finally free of the once beautiful chrome mustang, she realized that she had left her cell phone in her purse inside the wreck. Groaning about her luck at having to face the horrific scene once more, she started crawling back in. Suddenly, she felt an icy cool hand grip her bruised leg and was forcibly hauled to her feet.

If she had been able to scream, she would have, but with everything else that had happened to her that night, the sight of the freakishly pale and terrifingly handsome veiny man had no effect on her traumatized mind. Jessie simply stared at the man, waiting for him to say or do something, anything, that would awaken her from this nightmare.

However, he only made her nightmare worse when his facial features contorted and his opaque gray eyes became glowing amber orbs. As Jessie finally realized what it was she was looking at, the vampire spoke, "Hello Jessie." Her eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, I know who you are. I've been watching you for a while now." His face shifted back to that of a human and he continued, "So lonely. I've watched you spend all your time by yourself. Always pushing yourself. But to what end? I simply couldn't figure it out. It intrigued me. You can seem so alive one minute, but so dead the next." He picked up her limp figure and carried her over to a nearby stump where he gently set her down. Jessie made no attempt to move.

"How can you be everything I, an immortal, want to be? And, at the same time, everything I wanted to escape?" He kneeled down before her and she still remained numb, impassive.

"It made me realize that it wasn't just human nature I was seeing in you, no. It was you. I'm not sure what it is, but you're refreshingly different from all others of your kind. Not in a supernatural way, but in a unique way. I knew from the moment I spotted you that eternity would be more worthwhile for me if you were in it. So, I have a proposition for you."

He waited for her to make some kind of signal that she understood all he had said, but she continued to stare straight ahead in an unseeing way. When he saw that no signal was forthcoming, he finally said, "Either I kill you right now and suck your blood, or I make you a vampire." She still didn't move. "Well?" He asked slightly annoyed.

Her stone facade remained in place. Finally, the vampire lost his patience and shook her. Rather hard. All of the sudden, as if waking up from a horrible dream in the middle of a thunder storm, Jessie screamed. It was so loud and shrill, that even the vampire had to cover his ears. After what seemed like an eternity, this coming from an immortal, she stopped screaming.

In a quiet, but reasonably calm voice, she said, "You can go head and kill me now."

The Vampire's eyebrows shot up and he nearly fell over. "WHAT! You weren't supposed to say that. You were supposed to say, 'Bring me eternal life my master, or something like that!"

"Sorry, but an eternity's an awful long time to live, or..unlive, and I hardly know you. Besides, if I die now, then I won't have to worry about paying for college. And let me tell you, that's a load off my mind!"

The vampire shook his head in exasperation, grabbed her face and roughly tipped it to the side, exposing her vulnerable neck. "I don't think you understand, 'Jess'," he growled against her flesh. "You really don't have much say in this." His face contorted back into the demon's and he lowered his fangs to her vein.

"If I don't have a choice, then why did you give me one?" Jessie asked as she struggled to get free.

"Because I..Because you...Just shut up!" He finally bit down and as the blood began to gush, he drank.

Jessie was losing her consciousness again. She was aware that she was in the arms of a vampire on a bed of grass, and that she was going to die, but everything just felt so dreamy that she didn't feel scared. She felt like she was an outsider looking through a window as the scene unfolded. She knew that all of this couldn't really be happening to her.

Terry didn't just die in a car wreck.

Vampires did not exist.

One of them was NOT biting her neck at the moment.

She wasn't drinking his blood being forced down her throat by said vampire.

And she wasn't dying, because she was only eighteen. She still had lot's of things she wanted to do. And because this kind of stuff just didn't happen to your normal High School Senior.

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Everyone says that a fledgling vampire's first thought is always of blood and the thirst they feel for it, but for Jessie, her first thought was, "Why did I have to get bitten by a weirdo?"

The culprit was currently on the stone floor of what she assumed to be a mausoleum, with his legs up against the wall and a book in his hands. He was laughing hysterically, and with Jessie's powerful new senses, the noise was overwhelming.

Looking at her surroundings, she found herself to be laying on a tomb. She went to put her hands to her ears but stopped when she saw how pale they were. She quickly examined the rest of herself and found that her body had changed overnight. The best way to describe it, was that she was now permanently in the best shape of her life. Lean and mean, was what Jessie summarized it as. She felt her forehead and noticed that it was covered in severe wrinkles. Knowing what she would find there, she felt her teeth and sure enough, she had two sharp fangs where her top incisors used to be.

Mr. Weirdo finely acknowledged her and got up from his position saying, "Don't be so scared Jessie, you can always change your face back. Just relax and think of something really cold."

Jessie thought of her family's trip to Alaska two years ago where she had stupidly forgotten to pack enough warm cloths and then felt her forehead. There was no change. She turned to him and purposefully arched her vampiric eyebrow.

"Not literally cold! I meant something that really turns you off." He said, not without amusement evident in his voice.

Jessie thought of the creature before her, and immediately, she felt her face shift and her fangs shrink. After happily feeling her wrinkle free face, she used her new found strength to gracefully hop off the tomb and land squarely before her sire.

"You thought of me, didn't you?" She gave an 'I-hate-your-undead-carcass' smile and nodded.

"Cute, I can see that I have my work cut out for me." He shook his head. "Are you thirsty?" Without even waiting for an answer, he went over to the tomb she had been laying on, effortlessly threw the lid off and picked up the girl that had laid trembling inside.

Jessie recognized it to be Jessica, who just like Jessie, was still clothed in her prom dress. Although Jessica's skin tight red dress lacked the bloodstain's that Jessie's elegant white gown possessed. The look on Jessica's tear stained face was pure terror as she beheld the vampire holding her. Her eyes glanced over to Jessie and she screamed, "Jessie, or what ever your name is, HELP ME! This creep jumped in front of my car last night and then kidnapped me. Plus he's got this horrible skin condition!"

Hearing Jessica's thumping heartbeat and feeling the fear that was radiating off of her in waves was intoxicating to Jessie. Without even realizing it, her face slipped back into vampire and she slowly advanced on the prep.

Almost in automatic pilot, she let her instincts take over and grabbed Jessica away from her sire. He seemed to be finding the whole thing amusing, like a parent watching a child play with a new toy.

In this case, the toy wasn't much fun to play with because it wouldn't stop screaming, "Jessie, you've caught whatever this loser has! This is why they warned us about STD's in Health! If I get out of this, I swear I'll never-" CRACK! In one fluid motion, Jessie had snapped the cheerleader's vertebrae. The body sickeningly fell to the ground before the vampiress.

"I never could stand her yapping." Jessie said cheerfully as she turned away from the corpse with a swish of her golden blonde hair. To her sire she said, "And don't ever give me anything-" her voice dropped to a frightening whisper, "Ever Again."

With that said, Jessie walked over to the discarded book on the floor, picked it up and went back to her tomb, replaced the lid and sat down on the cool cement with her legs dangling.

She made a remarkable picture. Her blood spattered, once white gown torn in several places exposing her new pearl white skin and her blonde hair now fuller and giving off a golden glow. Her eyes completed this picture of horrific beauty with their unearthly new illumination of her sparkling old emerald green and light. In short, she was breathtaking, but like with everything else, not in a 'normal' way.

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Jessie knew that she should have drained Maybury, but she also knew that if she had taken her blood, it would have only reinforced her sire's belief in his dominance over her, and that was something she was going to avoid at all costs.

She was surprised to find that the book he had been reading was the latest Harry Potter book, The Halfblood Prince. Jessie, being an avid fan of the series, had naturally read the book as soon as it had hit the shelves. And she had been, as was usual with the books, blown completely away by the sheer imagery and emotion she had experienced when reading it.

Therefore, she couldn't for the unlife of her figure out what weirdo vampire over there, examining her dirty work, had found so funny about the book. I mean, Dumbledore had died for goodness sake!

Even though it pained her to do it, she asked him, "Why did you find this," she waved the hardback in the air, "so amusing?"

He stopped gaping at Jessica's lifeless form and looked at what Jessie was gesturing to. "Nothing like that will ever really happen. The ridiculousness of it all is what made me laugh. By the way, nice work Cutie. I've never seen a fledgling take to killing THAT easily."

Jessie huffed. How dare he call her Cutie! "Then what do you want me to call you? My little Jinx, my Firecracker, my Golden Princess? And Yes, I can read your thoughts. When I sired you, I formed a link that allows me to read your thoughts and images. It's kind of like a vampire leash. It allows the masters to keep tabs and know where and what their children are up to."

"Just what I don't need." Jessie said carelessly. "Oh, and by the way, if you refuse to call me by my given name, then I will permit you to call me Jinx." Her eyes watered a little as she said the name. It reminded her of all the times Terry would call her by that nickname, but she knew it was a appropriate. It would help her remember her friend and all the fun they'd shared. She quickly wiped her eyes before he could notice and bringing back the subject of the book, said, "Why is it ludicrous? I mean, the same could be said for believing in vampires, yet hear we are."

"Oh, I never said believing in magic or in that world is crazy, I just said that her story is." He burst out laughing. "I mean come on now-the boy who lived? This ultimate evil named Voldemort? It's all a lie. Nothing like that had ever happened in the Wizarding World."

Jessie started. "You mean, there is a Wizarding World? Hogwarts really exists?" Her excitement at the prospect was very evident in the tone of her voice and in her human facial features.

"Of course. And let me tell you, they weren't at all happy with this J.K. Rowling lady, but seeing as everyone thinks it's fictitious, there's no harm. The strange thing is, no one can figure out how she found out about the magical world."

Jessie thought on it for a few moments and finally said "I think I know- J.K. Rowling is a seer." With that, Jessie 'Jinx' Pandora once more jumped off the tomb, threw the book at her sire, and walked out the door of the mausoleum into the clear Texas night air. The sparkling stars overhead were her only companion that night as she ran away the vampire who made her, Drakula IX, otherwise known as Drake.


	2. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for reading my story and would like to encourage more people to give me their thoughts on it. In other words, PLEASE REVIEW PEOPLE! -I'll give you an invisible cookie:)_

**A Future Riddle**

**Armenius Bacauda**

Armenius led a quiet life in the busy city of Rome. He was an intellectual and a scholar, one of the best around. By the time he was twenty, in the year 10 AD, he had already become a widely regarded (in that time at least) painter, poet, and philosopher.

It was truly a great tragedy when he mysteriously vanished on his twenty-eighth birthday.

It is possible that, had he been allowed to live longer, he might have become as revered as some of his Greek heroes, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. However, when he was turned at the age of twenty-eight, his own path to enlightenment did not die with his soul. Because, when Armenius Bacauda became a vampire, he discovered an entire other world that had been hidden to him.

The world of magic fascinated him to know end. He devoted decades, even centuries to the studies of all things magical. He became the first vampire to discover that they, the vampires, when bitten, became magical creatures, and thus had the ability to perform magic just as any Wizard or Witch might.

When the Great Merlin was alive and casting, Armenius was right there, in the shadows, taking notes.

His research and findings were sometimes considered dangerous to the Wizarding population, but it didn't deter Armenius, he just continued to do what he wanted, though as time progressed, and he saw his fellow demons hunted down with wooden steaks and turned to ashes, he became more cautious and only revealed himself when he absolutely had to.

Sometimes, he didn't reveal himself at all. He was sought out by those who wished to learn what he knew and gain from it. Jessie Pandora was one such creature.

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The modern city of Rome was a tourist trap.

When Jessie first arrived there, she had found no problem in fitting in with the masses that littered the crowded streets of the Eternal City at night.

Jessie had heard of the ancient vampire, Armenius, from a friend she had met in Washington D.C. Her friend's name was Fritz Romani, and he was the first magically oriented vampire she had come across in her fifteen years of wandering around North America.

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She had met your basic animalistic vampires who were only concerned with blood. She had met the elegantly styled gothic vamps who were hero worshipped in night clubs all over urban America and Canada, and she had met the solitary vampires who hunted alone and closed themselves off from the world.

Each group treated her differently. The gothic night clubers accepted her and a few even invited her to join their clans. She had almost stayed with the Clan in Vancouver. The leader there, a tall blonde haired, century old vampire named Owen Rogers, had seemed quite taken with her and had been impressed that her sire was a descendant of Drakula. However, when she had gone on a routine patrol around the city with them, and viewed their "methods" of hunting, she had declined the honor.

When she had been assaulted by one of the animalistic clans in D.C., Jessie had almost died, the kind of death where you don't come back from.

Luckily, Trixz had been hunting her usual prey of other cats, dogs, and rodents, and had not been with Jessie when they attacked. Apparently, they were smarter than she had previously assumed and had been monitoring her actions since she had entered their turf, a week ago.

Now, in her fifteen years as a vampire, Jessie had picked up a little in the fighting department, and she had nothing to be ashamed of, but when you pitted five psychotic blood-thirsty vampires against her, she was bound to lose.

"Come on sweetie," one of the indistinguishable vampires of the clan with matted hair and a body that probably had not been exposed to soap in the past decade said as he and his buddies advanced on her. They had successfully cornered her into a lonely, dark alleyway. She frantically scanned her surroundings for an escape, but turned back to her assailant when he continued, "You should have known better than to hunt here. This place is spoken for and you're not invited."

The even filthier vampire to his left asked rhetorically, "And do you know what we do to little fang gang girls who aren't invited?" He was just about to reach out and grab her, and he and his friends were no doubt about to rip her to pieces, when a smooth voice from above suddenly shouted, "You ask them out to dinner and seduce the waitress into coming out back so you can drink her blood together in a romantic moonlit alleyway near the restaurant?"

Everyone froze and involuntarily looked up to see the dark figure jump down from the fire escape he had previously been hiding on. Jessie couldn't help but smirk at the fact that her knight in shining armor was a handsome dark haired Italian vamp who had been about twenty five years when turned. Boy, could she ever find them!

Upon seeing that his crowd, minus Jessie, was less than pleased to see him, the mystery man, or vampire in this case, said, "Oh, wait, maybe that's just what I would do." The group took that as their cue to attack, and immediately, Jessie and savior boy were engaged in the fight of their unlives.

The dark haired vampire surprised Jessie when, halfway into the fight, he pulled out a wand from his pocket and in a commanding voice shouted, "LUMOS SOMEM!" From his wand erupted a blinding blast of sunlight he directed toward the snarling unkempt clan.

Sounds of sizzling flesh were followed by screeches of pain as the vampires were forced to back off and retreat. When the sound of their howls had finally died away, the Italian vampire wizard turned to Jessie and offering his hand said, "Name's Fritz. Nice to meet you miss..." He looked at her questioningly and she was again startled by how charmingly human he looked. The only thing that gave him away when he wasn't in game face was his pale skin. Snapping herself out of it, she said in a cool, even voice, "Pandora. But please, anyone who saves me is automatically spared the formalities and is permitted to address me as Jinx." She took his offered hand. He smiled approvingly and jokingly offered her a tour of the city. She accepted.

Later that night, after Trixz had found the two talking by the Potomac and been properly introduced, Fritz had suggested that they stay with him while visiting the capital. Seeing her chance at finally learning where and how vampires fit into this magical world, Jessie had quickly agreed. A friendship had been born that night.

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Jessie had ended up staying in D.C. longer than she had stayed in any previous city. Fritz was someone she got along with very well. He was intelligent, fun-loving, and above all, worldly.

He had been, or all things, a lawyer before he had been turned, eighty-six years ago. His lawyer background had not helped him fit in with the riff-raff clans of the district, so he, just as Jessie had done, fled his sire (a coveting vampiress named Celia) and began touring the world. In London, he had come across a small, dingy tavern named, "The Leaky Cauldron."

It was there that he first heard of the magical world and that vampires were just as much hated and feared there as in the world of humans. Only, in the world of humans, vampires had the advantage, in that their prey doubted their existence.

Becoming intrigued of this hidden world, Fritz put his lawyer researching skills to good use and dug up all the records of magical vampires he could get his cold, pale hands on. All of his findings led to one particular wizarding vampire, who, like himself, was Italian. Though this vampire had actually been born in Italy, unlike Fritz, whose family had journeyed to America prior to the 'Great War.'

As could be guessed, the vampire was Armenius Bacauda, one of the most ancient beings on the planet. Asking around, Fritz found that he had last been seen in Rome.

Unable to quell his curiosity, Romani traveled to Rome. It took him eight months to get a hold of the allusive master vampire, and once he did, it took him another three to warrant an audience with him.

He was not to be disappointed however. Fritz found out that for the past six centuries, Armenius had been tutoring fellow vampires in the arts of witchcraft and wizardry in his own private hidden villa in Rome.

As fate would have it, Armenius took a liking to Fritz and agreed to take him on as a pupil.

Fritz spent the next ten years studying everything the wise Bacauda had to teach him in total isolation, for it was a severe penalty under wizarding law that non humans be taught magic.

When Fritz "graduated" from Armenius, he went back to his home of D.C. to see how it had changed. He found it even more corrupt than when he had last left it and decided to permanently stay there and keep the riff-raff vampires he detested from getting out of control. He used his magical abilities to help him obtain blood and disguise himself more effectively. Thus he had been living for the past four decades.

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Going to stand in front of the Coliseum where she had been told she would meet Armenius, Jessie couldn't help but miss Fritz. He was most likely chatting up some intern near the capital and offering her his coat, which he didn't need anyway, considering his body temperature never changed. She laughed at the thought of the intern's grateful look. Fritz sure knew how to lay it on thick!

"Pandora, I presume?"

Jessie quickly spun around at the sound of the calculated and beautiful voice.

He was different than she had imagined. For one thing, he didn't look to be over two thousand years old. For another, she had forgotten that he had been only twenty-eight when turned. But for all his youthful exterior, she could sense an underlying grace and nobility. He was elegance and knowledge exemplified.

"That's me. Though I would prefer it if you called me Jinx." Trixz's golden eyes flashed a vampiric yellow for an instant and she meowed on Jessie's shoulder. "Oh, and this is Trixz. It's an honor meeting you Armenius." Jessie said as she gave the customary bow she had learned was formal in the Fang Universe.

Armenius gave a small smile and shook his head. He then softly cupped her chin and slowly raised her from her kneel. When she was looking him in the eye, he told her in his quiet articulate tone, "And I would prefer to call you Pandora my dear." He dropped his hand and offering his arm to her, escorted her away from the crowded ancient Roman Coliseum. Unable to escape his thrall, she willingly followed, the creme colored cat placidly clinging to her shoulder.

He continued to lead her through the city to what her dizzy mind assumed was his villa, when he again turned to her and said, "Afterall, Pandora is a Roman name, and as I'm sure you've heard, when in Rome...


	3. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for reading my story and would like to encourage more people to give me their thoughts on it. In other words, PLEASE REVIEW PEOPLE! _

_I'll be extra extra happy with cherries on top! _

**A Future Riddle**

**Do As the Romans Do**

Armenius's villa was breathtaking. It had a large second-story balcony over looking much of downtown Rome and the inside was so beautiful that Jessie was almost scared to touch anything. But in the months and years that followed, Jessie found that there was much more to the quiet, charming villa.

The bottom floor and second story were normal enough, they just had a few Vampire comforts. Heavy drapes and blinds over all the windows and a kitchen stocked with bags of blood were enough to make any Vamp feel at home.

The basement floor, however, was where the real action was. It was accessed through a hidden lever behind a portrait Armenius himself had made of Merlin.

In the picture, Merlin was raising his illuminated wand towards the heavens, where, racing down to meet his wand tip was an eager bolt of lightening. Standing in awe below the powerful wizard was an exquisitely drawn boy of about sixteen years. He had brown hair and a pleasant face. "What was Arthur like?" Jessie had asked Armenius the first time she had seen the portrait.

Armenius had looked at his painting as well and had replied, "He was the most noble human I have ever met. And I have met my fair share."

Once having descended the staircase down to the basement, Jessie had found herself in a large high-roofed den of sorts that offered no outside light. In it were all types of wondrous supplies. It had brooms, cauldrons, desks, chalkboards, a pensieve, and littering every wall were rows upon rows of ancient books. It reminded Jessie of the "batcave" she had seen in the cartoon shows of Batman when she was a little human girl.

"Welcome to your classroom for the next generation of your life." Armenius had said.

The next thing Jessie knew, she was sitting at a desk with a notebook and quill in front of her and was taking notes about the History of Magic.

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Learning under Armenius was an experience, to say the least. Everyday, he seemed to push Jessie farther than she thought she'd ever be able to go. By the end of her first year, she had mastered all the basic spells and had taken to broomsticks like she had taken to riding horses as a child. In fact, Jessie had excelled in all her studies and endeavors.

She was fond of history and it was exciting to be taught by someone who had actually lived through all the events he lectured on. Defense Against the Dark Arts was fascinating as well as fun because Armenius always concluded every lesson with a practical test. Transfiguration was challenging, but Jessie found it very useful, especially when they got to the liquid transfiguration. Changing water to blood was dead useful. Potions was probably her least favorite class, but she did well in it. Armenius was a patient instructor and taught at a pace that anyone could understand. "Afterall," he'd always say, "We have all the time in the world."

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By the end of the decade, Jessie was well above the average Wizarding standards in her magic as well as in her skills. After her 'graduation,' Armenius started focusing on intensifying her practical knowledge. She, Trixz, and him would take trips to all the different parts of the world and would kill feral vampires and study ancient Wizarding cultures as well as meet various magical creatures.

The first time Jessie met a Unicorn, she had wept. The silvery, unbridled beauty had fled as soon as the three of them had approached. The thought that she was actually an evil creature of the night and unable to enjoy the company of something so pure had really driven a stake through her heart, figuratively speaking of course. Armenius had said not to worry about it. Unicorns hardly let anyone or anything approach them anyway. He said not to take it personally. Jessie nodded her head and had wiped away her tears, but it hadn't help to alleviate the pain in her unbeating heart.

Their next magical creature encounter had been quite the opposite. The Thestrals seemed to enjoy the vampires presence. As Jessie had sat stroking the velvet black neck, she thought about the connection between Thestrals and Vampires. Both were related to death, and both were creatures of the night. They also both lived off of blood... A sudden thought occurred to her.

"Armenius?"

"Yes," he had said coming up behind her to join in her patting the Thestral.

"How did Thestrals come about? Are they the equivalent of 'vampire' Unicorns?"

"How did you know? Jessie just shrugged. "Well, a long time ago, a Unicorn named Anikon had killed another Unicorn. They were both suitors to the Queen, Arabella, and Anikon grew so jealous of the attention the Queen gave to his competition, that Anikon got rid of him. Now, in the Unicorn Society, murder of another is a primal sin. It was unprecedented that one of there own would kill them. So, unbeknownst to the Queen, who had married and was in foal to Anikon by the time his judgment was passed, the Royal Guard cast a dark curse on him. It made his outside as black and wicked as his inside. Naturally, Anikon fled. He didn't want the Queen to see him for what he really was. And there you have it. He went on to create the herds of Thestrals you see today."

"Wow. That was cool!" Jessie said as she gazed on the Thestral with new eyes. Armenius gave her an odd look. "What? I might be a forty-four year old Vampire, but I can still say 'cool' if I want to."

Armenius had simply shook his head and turned away smirking.

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Fritz occasionally accompanied the threesome on their journeys. He said it was because life was boring in D.C., but Jessie knew it was because he was prone to get lonely.

One time, when the four of them were in Egypt, Trixz had accidentally disturbed a nest of feral vampires and almost been killed. Luckily, Jessie had felt her fear and had dashed to where she sensed her cat to be in danger. Fritz and Armenius had followed, bewildered at her sudden departure from studying the hieroglyphics. They had found Trixz with her back to a wall, hissing for all she was worth in her most menacing game face.

In pure rage, Jessie had marched over to the nearest snarling Vampire and had twisted his head clean off his shoulders. The rest of the nest turned to see what the interference was and had charged at Jessie. Fritz and Armenius came to her rescue and the three of them began fighting. Once the stakes had been pulled out and Fritz's crossbow retrieved, the ten Vampires had been reduced to dust.

"Perhaps Trixz should stay closer to us in the future." Armenius had told Jessie. She nodded her head solemnly and taking her frightened cat in her arms, the four of them left the pyramid and began their journey back to Rome. Fritz had bugged Jessie the whole way back about how gross it had been when the Vamp's head had been twisted off.

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Armenius often made Fritz and Jessie duel. Their Wizarding style fights were intense and frequently ended in stalemates. While Jessie was slightly better than Fritz on her spell work, he had slightly better agility. The end result was constant bickering between the two on who was the better magician.

They became so competitive that one time, patient, always quiet-speaking Armenius had blown up at the two and handcuffed them together.

They had quickly made a metaled heap of the handcuff by the time Armenius had checked on them, so he made a special order for titanium handcuffs and ignoring the smirk of the delivery man, who he swore to drain later, he re handcuffed them. Jessie, who never knew when to keep quiet had said, "You know what that guy thinks your using this handcuff for right?"

Armenius had glared at her for a second and then left the room.

The experience was horrible for the two of them. Fritz would often drag Jessie around everywhere, and she in turn, would constantly whine. At the end of the first week, the two had already attempted to kill each other in their sleep. Even Trixz would avoid Jessie due to the bad mood she was in.

Finally, one night, tired and aching, Fritz tried a new approach. He had been staring at Jessie while she slept, knowing that she was only half-asleep after the whole "blinds being cracked at sunrise" incident, and he couldn't help but think that she looked somewhat attractive. He knew it was probably because he was going insane, but he went on instinct and leaning towards her slightly parted lips, prepared to kiss her. Unfortunately, Jessie sensed him approaching her and quickly sat up. Their heads' banged so hard that the sound woke Trixz who had been sleeping in the next room.

"What the heck were you trying to do?" Jessie screamed at the paler than normal Fritz.

He just continued to stare at her blankly. "Were you trying to kiss me!" Jessie said, not without amusement. When he still didn't say anything and averted his eyes, she knew she had caught him with one hand in the cookie jar. "Why..wouldya wanna..kiss...me?" Jessie gasped out in between her laughter.

Fritz didn't say anything, instead, with his one unhandcuffed arm, he pulled her to him and gave her a sound kiss. Having successfully quelled her laughter, he pulled away with a satisfied smirk and said, "I have no idea."

With a growl of indigence, it was Jessie's turn to pull him toward her and renew the kiss.

Much to Trixz's and Armenius's disdain, the two found themselves a new way to compete that night. Needless to say, they were promptly unhandcuffed the next morning by a highly disgusted Armenius.

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Fifty years after first coming to Rome, Jessie and Trixz left for good and journeyed to England. Armenius said that he had nothing left to teach her. Her only mentor now would be experience, the greatest way to learn.

Fritz was back in D.C., loitering around lobbyists for sure, Jessie thought to herself as she entered the Leaky Cauldron under a black cloak. The tavern had been hard to spot in the early morning darkness as it was already hidden against muggles. Trixz was on her shoulder and glaring at anyone who dared to look at her master.

It thrilled Jessie to no end when Tom the Innkeeper showed her to a room and gave her a key. It was her first meeting with someone from the books and erased any doubt in her mind that they were true. As Jessie sat waiting for the morning to break in the safety of the darkened room, she couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of her future encounters. The next Tom she met would be a Riddle.


	4. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I wish there were more. _

_Hiya: Hi Hiya! ;) Thanks for the review! And you'll just have to see what that crazy Jinx does next! _

_Destinystarprincess: Thanks as always chica! _

_groundedangel: Thank you so much for your reviews. It means a lot to have someone telling me my story is worth reading. Hope you enjoy the next chapter!_

**A Future Riddle**

**Armando Dippet and Grindelwald**

The surreal outline of the mystical castle would have made Jessie's heart soar, had it been beating that is. Hogwarts was truly a magnificent sight.

Jessie had stayed at the Leaky Cauldron for a week before heading to Scotland and Hogsmead via the Knight Bus. There, she had flooed the Headmaster of Hogwarts at the moment, Armando Dippet, in order to set up an interview.

This had accomplished two things: Foremost and most obvious, it had set up an interview so that she could be considered for the teaching position as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. A position which always seemed to be vacant. Secondly, the floo had shown her where she was in the arc of the story.

Armando Dippet had been Headmaster when Albus Dumbledore was only the Deputy Headmaster. He had also held this position the seven years Tom Riddle had gone to school. Unfortunately for Jessie, she had no way of knowing if Tom was at school yet or had graduated, but she still knew there was a chance.

It was this chance that prompted Jessie to walk up the stone steps and through the large oak doors into the looming castle.

Dippet, a gray-haired wizard in purple robes, stood next to the large stairway, apparently waiting for her arrival. His beady eyes bore into her green-blue ones as he introduced himself, "You must be Ms. Pandora, a pleasure to meet you." He held out a hand disdainfully which Jessie gingerly shook. It was obvious that it wasn't so much of a pleasure for him, her either for that matter.

He quickly dropped her hand and said in a crisp, pompous voice, "You seem very young to be teaching. Where are your credentials?"

"I'm afraid they would be useless to you Sir. I was home-schooled and obtained my teaching license in Italy. I realize that this bodes unfavorable to you, but rest assured that I am qualified. And, you are desperately in need of a DADA professor from what I've heard." Jessie said in a professional, confident tone.

The Headmaster still seemed unimpressed, and it seemed that he wouldn't even grant her an interview, when descending the staircase behind them, non other than Albus Dumbledore appeared.

Jessie was in complete shock as she was introduced to the tall, auburn-haired professor. His blue eyes twinkled as he bend down to kiss her hand. He straitened up and said, "I'm afraid you have heard correctly Ms.-

"Pandora." Jessie said once she had regained her composure. To be actually standing in the presence of Dumbledore was unbelievable to her.

"That's right! Ms. Jessie Pandora. How could I forget? We get so few applicants for that position." Dumbledore said enthusiastically.

Dippet grew tired of being ignored and said, "Ms. Pandora, this is my Deputy Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He's our Transfiguration Professor." Turning to Dumbledore, Dippet said rather dismissively, "Ms. Pandora and myself were just about to conduct an interview, if you don't mind Albus."

Dumbledore smiled and taking off his half-moon spectacles to clean them said, "Not at all Armando." He replaced his glasses and giving Jessie a final nod proceeded into the Great Hall where all the students appeared to be finishing their supper.

Jessie watched him open the large door and be accosted by a small black-haired boy in Slytherin robes. She would have turned her attention back to the Headmaster, except for the fact that just as the door to the Great Hall was shutting, she heard with her Vampiric hearing Dumbledore say, "Now now Tom, I really think you should apologize to Myrtle for saying that." And just like that, the door finally closed on the scene.

As Jessie followed Dippet to the gargoyles that guarded the Headmaster's office, she thought about the future Dark Lord. He couldn't have been more than a second year. There was still time to destroy him. All she had to do was get this job and kill him one night in his sleep. Easy as transfiguring water to blood. Not that that was ever easy.

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By the end of the interview, it was obvious that Dippet did not plan on hiring her. Jessie was perplexed at this, because she had answered every question beautifully and had been the epitome of confidence and professionalism. Her only conclusion was that Dippet was a jerk. That, or he was smarter than he looked and might have been suspicious about her "pale" tendencies.

As they both stood up, and Dippet gave the agonizing, "I'm sorry, but you're not quite what we're looking for," speech and escorted Jessie out of his office, she couldn't help but panic. If she didn't get into Hogwarts, then how was she supposed to kill Riddle? She didn't know exactly where to look for him after he graduated.

Just as she was about to exit the school, Dumbledore came up from behind her and said, "Ms. Pandora, I know Dippet didn't hire you. He's very discriminatory against magical creatures."

Jessie started at this. "So he knew the whole time? You knew?"

"Yes. But I have a way to change his tune about you, if you're up for it that is." Dumbledore didn't seem to mind at all that he was a foot away from a Vampire. His eyes were twinkling more brilliantly than ever.

"I'm up for anything."

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It was a good thing that Vampires didn't feel the cold, Jessie thought as she kneeled in the snow outside a small barrack with Dumbledore by her side. The December weather was cruel, and Jessie could tell Dumbledore was using magical warmer spells to keep himself from freezing to death.

It had been several years since the day of her failed interview. On that day, Dumbledore had offered Jessie a secret job. She was to track and spy on Lord Grindelwald and his forces. Dumbledore would occasionally accompany her when he was free of his school responsibilities, but most of the time, it was just Jessie and Trixz.

Jessie had forgotten about Grindelwald in her rush to destroy Voldemort. Grindelwald was at his greatest power right now, and although he was not as immortal as Voldemort would become, he was still the most feared Dark Wizard anyone had ever seen.

Foolishly, Jessie had engaged him twice. She had believed her magical powers and training to be sufficient to duel him. She had been wrong. The only thing that had saved her from becoming dust, was that Grindelwald hadn't been immediately aware that she was a Vampire. Avada Kadavra had no effect on her, because she was already dead.

Grindelwald, a half Wizard-half monster, was unbelievably cruel and animalistic. Jessie would almost go so far as to say he was slightly barbaric. While Lord Voldemort was to be every bit as evil and cruel as Grindelwald, he had, or would have, Jessie corrected herself, a finesse and refinement that his predecessor Grindelwald lacked.

It just so happened that on this particular frigid December night, Dumbledore had been free. He had met up with Jessie at the inn she had been staying at with Trixz, and the three of them had set off to where Jessie had last tracked Grindelwald.

"Trixz will go in first to create a preliminary diversion, and then I shall make my appearance. You come in last as the calvary." Jessie instructed to her two accomplices. They had agreed that the surprise would be gone as soon as they set up the anti-apparition wards around the barrack.

Dumbledore and Trixz nodded. On the count of three, Jessie and Dumbledore said the advanced spell and placed the ward around the entire barrack. There would be no escaping for any of them this time.

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As soon as Jessie heard the first spells being shot off inside the barrack, she charged in and began firing off curses. Trixz had done such a good job of distracting them, that it took a while for Grindelwald's supporters to realize her presence.

When they finally did, it was Dumbledore's turn to appear. He entered as quick as lightning and defeated so many of Grindelwald's supporters, that Jessie almost felt left out.

Luckily for her, Grindelwald chose that moment to make his presence known to her. She had been watching Dumbledore cast a _Petrificus Totalus _on a hag out of the corner of her eye as she prepared to _Stupefy _a dark Wizard lying before her. Suddenly, she had felt an enormous, cold hand grip around her neck and lift her off her feet.

She could tell it was him when he whispered hoarsely in her ear, "Hello my little fang girl." He threw her to the cement ground before him and continued with a wild laugh, "I know you've missed me dread-fully. But is all this really necessary?"

Jessie's prized possession, her eleven inch oak wand with a Unicorn's hair core, had landed several feet out of her reach to the left. Grindelwald's huge form advanced on her and began kicking her viciously in the sides. The physical pain was not unbearable to her, because of her Vampire healing, but it was rapidly draining all her energy.

As Jessie lay there beaten and still, she channeled all her remaining energy into her childe-bond with Trixz.

Trixz immediately made a tremendous jump over the hulking figure of the Dark Lord, and ran past Jessie's prone figure to pick up the oaken wand lying just out of her master's pale fingertips. Before Grindelwald could figure out what the creme-colored cat was doing, Trixz had delivered the wand to her master and jumped straight into the surprised face of Grindelwald himself where she scratched for all she was worth.

When Grindelwald had swiped Trixz away to the ground, he found himself confronted with an exceptionally powerful _Bombarta_ spell that flew him into a wall. Jessie was just about to finish the job, when she saw another Dark Wizard out of the corner of her eye about to hit Dumbledore from behind. She sent the _Avada Kadavra _she had planned for Grindelwald at that Wizard instead. Dumbledore turned around just in time to see the man fall face first.

Dumbledore nodded to her and shouted, "Excellent hit Ms. Pando-_AVADA KADAVRA_! Jessie almost screamed at the nearness his spell came to her, but when she turned around to see what the spell had hit, she saw Grindelwald huge, motionless form slumped against the wall with his wand drawn out. Dumbledore had had her back just as she had had his.

With their master defeated, Grindelwald's remaining supporters surrendered, and using a fireplace in the barracks, Dumbledore was able to floo for Aurors to come pick them up.

After the place had been cleared out, Dumbledore found Jessie standing in front of the wall where Grindelwald had been killed. She was holding the tired Trixz in her arms and her face was contemplative.

"Well my dear, it seems that you and I are heroes." Jessie continued staring at the wall. "A reporter from the Daily Prophet was just here. I dare say you will receive a fair share of the publicity. I can't go around taking all the torture, now can I?" Dumbledore came up behind her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What do you say we go request another interview with our dear friend Professor Dippet? I think he'll be quite happy to have you on our staff once he is privy to your exploits here today. And I made sure that your bloodline was kept out of the paper. In fact, since I already alerted the press to your future plans at Hogwarts just now, it would be quite impossible for Dippet to deny you again. You're a national hero my dear!"

Jessie finally turned to Dumbledore. She took in his sincerity and said, "There is nothing, nothing, I'd rather do, than go to Hogwarts right now."

With the customary twinkle in his blue eyes, Dumbledore led her and Trixz to the fireplace and they fooed to Hogsmead.

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Jessie was aware of her luck. Not only had they managed to defeat Grindelwald before Tom graduated, but the latest temporary DADA Professor had just quit due to the incident with the Chamber of Secrets. He had unfortunately been a half-blood and was forced to resign by his wife who feared for his safety.

When Dippet interviewed her for the second time, he had acted completely different. This time, he was charming and polite and as soon as the interview was complete, he shook her hand and welcomed her to Hogwarts. Jessie knew this was all a front due to her new "celebrity" status.

She really disliked the current Headmaster.

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Because the downfall of the Dark Lord Grindelwald had occurred during the Christmas break, Jessie was able to move into the castle and get organized for classes before any of the students had come back from the break.

However, Jessie had forgotten that one student always remained at Hogwarts over the holidays. He was the orphaned, sixteen year old future Dark Lord, Tom Marvolo Riddle.


	5. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I wish there were more. _

_Sorry for the long delay everyone! I was having a bit of writer's block. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions for this? I'd love to get more reviews! _

**A Future Riddle**

**Professor Pandora**

After the night of the Yule Ball, Jessie completely locked down. She locked herself in her classroom for the remainder of the holidays as she plotted revenge and made up her lesson plans.

Because of her link with Trixz, Jessie was able to monitor where and what Riddle was up to, but besides that, she ignored his presence.

By the time the first day of class rolled around, Jessie had already discovered from Trixz that Riddle was meeting his fellow Knights of Walpurgis in the Slytherin common room after hours. He apparently met with them twice a week on alternating days. Trixz had yet to discover their means of communicating when the meetings were, but Jessie had faith it would be unraveled shortly. Trixz was very intelligent.

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Her first class of the day consisted of forth year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. She almost burst out laughing as they entered. The poor students didn't know what to make of her, so they were all being extremely polite and quiet.

That didn't keep some of them from gawking at her though. She could only assume it was her unnatural paleness or the fact that she didn't look any older than some of the seventh years.

Once everyone had taken a seat, Jessie stood up from her desk and pulled out her wand. A few of the students flinched when she did this, but she ignored them and waving her wand at the chalkboard produced the words, "Professor Pandora. Defense Against the Dark Arts. And yes, I am older than all of you."

A few of the forth year boys sitting in the corner laughed at her little joke. Jessie knew instantly that she was going to enjoy having them in her class.

She gave everyone a reassuring smile before saying, "Hello everyone. As the board says, I'm Professor Pandora. My cat-" Trixz hopped onto her desk and stared knowingly at the students, "Trixz, is my assistant." At this, several Hufflepuff girls in the front row laughed and quite a few others gave her the 'she's one of those crazy people looks'.

At the laughter, Trixz hopped off the teacher's desk and sprung onto the desk of one of the laughing girls. Trixz's golden eyes glared at the Hufflepuff before giving a hiss and slowly returned back to her perch.

The girl looked traumatized and almost immediately all laughter ceased.

Jessie smirked and with a chuckle said, "She's my disciplinarian. I just hate getting onto students for petty things like talking and chewing gum, so Trixz will be helping me keep an eye on all of you so that I can worry about the teaching. Now then, any questions before we jump right into today's lesson?"

One of the Ravenclaw boys sitting in the corner raised his hand.

"Yes? Mr...?"

"Rook, Romulus Rook. I was just wondering what your credentials were..I mean, you seem fairly young, yet I don't remember you attending Hogwarts recently." He finished to the nods of the rest of the class.

Jessie didn't even bat an eye. "Though my credentials are none of your business considering the rigorous hiring process I went through with Dippet and Dumbledore to get here, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you a little background of myself. Afterall, this is Defense Against the Dark Arts. No questions should be ignored. The best Aurors in the Ministry are the ones who ask all the questions and get all the information. I encourage you all to always question what you do not know and to learn from the answers you receive."

A girl from the front row raised her hand with a smile. Jessie quickly stated, "However, that does not mean we're going to discuss or ask questions about events or topics in Witch Weekly, Ms..?"

The girl giggled and lowered her hand. "Sage."

Jessie continued, "Now, I could bore you all with the many facets of my life, but all you need to know is that I was tutored for over a decade and continued my learning by traveling abroad with my mentor to gain field experience in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I've battled pretty much everything we will be covering in this class and then some. I hope that by the end of the year, you will all have a greater understanding of what life will throw you and how to handle it."

Enjoying the looks of awe on their faces, Jessie nodded her wand at a stack of paper on her desk and it immediately distributed itself among the class.

"Now, your last professor didn't leave me with his lesson plans, and as much as I want to trust you all, I think this quiz is a much better way for me to find out where all of you are in your Defense training. Once you are finished, hand it to me and you may leave."

As the students commenced with their scribbling, Jessie sat behind her desk and motioned to Trixz. Trixz instantly registered her directions and got up to prowl through each row making sure the students weren't cheating.

Jessie leaned back and took note of the twenty or more forth years.

The girls in the front were trouble. The group of Ravenclaw boys in the corner seemed to be the brightest. A group of windswept boys and girls occupied the center and in the back were some of the shier students. Overall, Jessie thought it was a good group.

She was so excited to actually be teaching! Ever since she was little, all she had wanted to do was be some sort of teacher. Although things hadn't gone down quite as she had imagined, they sort of did.

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It didn't surprise Jessie at all that Riddle's secret method of contacting his knights was by tattoo. Trixz had discovered by the end of the first week of classes that the Knights of Walpurgis all carried the same mark.

It wasn't yet the Dark Mark, but it was obviously a precursor to it. The armored knight holding a wand with a snake coiled around his arm would emit a black glow whenever they were being summoned. All the knights were branded on the small of their backs.

Jessie had immediately shot down the idea of telling Dumbledore about the marks, seeing as how it would instigate awkward questions. Teachers had no business knowing what was on their student's backs. Just like they have no business kissing them in remote locations. Jessie shook her head at that unwelcome thought. Tom would pay for making her feel like this.

Seeing as she was pretty much on her own against the Dark Lord of annoyance, Jessie decided to wait again for the opportune moment. Dueling would definitely be on the sixth year's lesson plans. And, now that she knew where and when the meetings would be, some spying wouldn't hurt.

Trixz wouldn't be able to blend very well, and if she was spotted, Tom would instantly know it was Jessie's doing. No. She had to get herself in undercover.

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All of Jessie's classes were going extremely well. Even the sixth year Gryffindor and Slytherin class was behaving. Though that was to be expected - Riddle was noted in the books to be a suck-up and a teacher's pet. With his fellow adoring peers looking on, Riddle was the model student.

Jessie was amazed by how skillfully he could manipulate everyone. While Lord Voldemort might have used fear to obtain followers, Riddle was willingly followed and admired by almost the entire student body. The only exceptions were most of the Gryffindors (particularly the boys), a handful of jealous Ravenclaws (Riddle did far outshine everyone academically), Professor Dumbledore and herself. Oh, and Trixz too.

Jessie also noted with much interest that while many of the girls seemed to be crushing on Riddle, he never reciprocated. The only girl he showed any interest at all in was a seventh year Slytherin by the name of Clarona Black.

She was devastatingly beautiful with her sculptured face, icy blue eyes and of course, her long glistening black hair. But Jessie was sure that it was none of these things that prompted Riddle to accept her.

It was the girl's hateful spirit and obsession with purebloods and aristocracy that captured his attention. Here was a girl that represented all he wanted for himself.

Riddle must have seen her as what he could have been like had he not had a muggle father. He might have even felt great jealousy towards her, but if he wanted to devote his life to the pureblood cause, what better way than to associate with one of the purest of blood?

The more Jessie saw them hanging out in between classes and in the great hall, the more confused she became. Clarona was supposed to be married to the other descendent of the Black line, her second cousin, Orion Black.

Orion, a forth year Slytherin who was supposedly her betrothed, seemed to be nowhere on her radar. All of her attention was devoted to the popular and ambitious Tom Marvolo Riddle.

It made no sense.

If, like it seemed to be going, Riddle and Clarona got together, then how did Clarona ever end up with Orion Black and have Sirius and Regulus? Unless...

Unless Riddle and Clarona _did _get together and have Sirius. She would have found out she was pregnant and told Riddle, who would have immediately rejected her and her unborn child. Afterall, a family is not something to have when you're an evil dark lord building an empire of fear.

Jessie smirked at the fear Riddle must have felt when he found out Clarona was going to have his child. He must have done away with all the evidence by erasing her memory and pushing her towards Orion's welcoming arms.

This would explain why Sirius became an outcast from his family. His mother might not have known what was up, but Orion certainly would not have been happy with the child that was not his own. He may not have even realized it, but he probably pushed Sirius away from the family and fueled the resentment Sirius so strongly held for all purebloods. Regulus, however, was probably doted on by Orion.

All of this made perfect sense to Jessie. Sirius Black was actually Sirius Riddle. Maybe that's why he was never brought before Voldemort like most Death Eater children to be recruited. Tom subconsciously didn't want that life for his own son.

At that thought, Jessie suddenly bolted back to reality.

Tom Riddle! Actually caring about someone else! HA! Yea right. She was probably getting carried away with herself. Riddle would never develop a relationship with anyone anyway. It would distract him from his goals and she knew that there was nothing Riddle wanted more than to succeed. At all costs.

Just like Jessie.

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Using her new found knowledge of the attachment Riddle and Clarona were developing, Jessie formulated a plan.

Trixz was sent to spy on Clarona and report back whenever the girl was completely alone. The opportunity came that Friday evening. Trixz informed Jessie that Clarona was in the second floor girl's bathroom picking on a muggleborn.

It didn't take much brains to figure out who the muggleborn was.

And sure enough, as soon as Jessie glided into the bathroom, there stood Clarona Black smirking over the whimpering figure of Moaning Myrtle.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Jessie said, enjoying the look of surprise and fear that momentarily marred Clarona's perfect features.

She quickly recovered however and in a sweet tone said, "Why nothing Professor. I just came in here to wash up and found Myrtle here crying. Perhaps you can comfort her better than I?" Clarona started towards the door.

Jessie blocked her way. "I don't think I can Ms. Black. Perhaps your apologizing for your fowl mouth will cure the poor girl?"

Clarona looked like she had just swallowed a slug. Non the less however, she knew it would be foolish to disobey a direct order from a teacher. She grudgingly turned to Myrtle and with a sickeningly sweet voice said, "I do feel _so_ bad for making you cry Myrtle. I'm _so_ _very _sorry." She turned back to Jessie, gave a curt nod and tried for the door again.

"Just a minute Ms. Black. I'm not done with you yet. We need to go have a little chat with your head of house." Jessie went over to Myrtle and helped her up. "Will you be ok?"

Myrtle nodded dully and exited the bathroom. Not before sticking her tongue out at Clarona though.

Clarona huffed when they were alone together. "Why do we have to do this now? I'm tired and I'm sure Professor Slughorn is asleep. Besides, I didn't harm the little mudblo-err..girl. She's just sensitive."

Jessie laughed. "That's a lie! You! Not harming a muggleborn! I'll believe that when I can stand in the sunlight again."

Clarona gulped at the admittance. She started to back away from Jessie. "Don't come any closer to me you filthy half-breed! Tom knows exactly where I am! You won't get away with hurting me!"

Jessie slowly advanced on her. She pulled out her wand and used the _Potrificus Totalis_ spell to paralyze the Slytherin.

"I'm afraid Tom isn't going to help you. Last I saw of him, he was with his Knights conducting a meeting." Clarona's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did your beloved Tom forget to mention his little club to you." Jessie tisked. "Oh well. I think I can arrange to have you become a member." At this, Jessie vamped out and smirked at the girl. If Clarona could have said anything, it would have been to scream.

Looking down at the bigoted beauty, Jessie pondered her options.

One, she could kill the girl. That would make it very easy for her to impersonate her and not have to worry about her interfering.

Two, she could incapacitate her and lock her up; much like Barty Crouch Jr. had done to the real Moody in Harry's fourth year, or..

She could do a combination of the two.

Over the past several weeks, Jessie had been reading up on her kind in the restricted section of the library. According to one book that dealt with the effects Vampires had on humans, if a Vampire simply gave a human their blood without drinking from them, then the human would become what the book referred to as the Damned.

The Damned had no will of their own. The Vampire who gave them their blood could control them completely. This would mean that she could still have Sirius and Regulus and be a human, but her soul would be Jessie's.

Not that Jessie wanted the black hearted creature. But, it was a viable choice. She didn't want to erase Sirius from existence.

Though, she might be doing that already if she kept Clarona and Riddle apart.

Taking a deep breath and hoping she wasn't dooming the Godfather of Harry, Jessie bit her wrist and forced the crimson liquid down the throat of Clarona Black.

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	6. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: As usual, I'd like to thank the few and wonderful people that reviewed. It's b/c of you that I'm continuing with this. _

_Special thanks to Jesteress, that was a really sweet review. _

**A Future Riddle**

**Black Knight**

"Hello Clarona. How are you feeling?" Jessie asked as she lifted the _potrificus totalus _spell from the girl.

"I'll be fine once I'm away from you." Clarona snarled as she quickly stood up and backed away.

"Still have that sunny personality I see. Oh well, that's for the best I suppose." Jessie leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms. "Now, next time you see Riddle, I want you to request to join his Knights of Walpurgis-and be sure to say 'Knights of Walpurgis'. Then, I want you to go to the meeting and afterward, immediately, come report to me everything that occurred."

Clarona laughed. "And why would I do anything for you?"

It was Jessie's turn to laugh. "Because I own you childe."

Clarona's eyes widened in shock for a second but then she scoffed, "You own me no more than that idiot Orion."

She quirked an eye brow. "Is that so?"

Jessie then proceeded to stand up from the wall in a bored fashion and walked over to one of the stalls. "I want you to come stick your head in this toilet," she said pointing to the one commonly referred to in the books as Myrtle's.

Clarona looked like she was about to protest, but then, almost against her will, she walked over to the toilet and proceeded to dunk her head.

With a shriek of disgust, she emerged dripping from the stall and glared daggers at Jessie.

In a tone of supreme amusement, the Vampiress laughed, "I can see now that you are clearly _not_ under my control- You just like doing things like that."

Clarona's ladylike visage disappeared completely as she swung at the infuriating creature.

Jessie's laughter ceased as she easily caught her fist and pulled the girl closer.

In a deadly whisper Jessie said, "You will do as I say for the rest of your life and be thankful that I did not kill you. If you attempt to disobey me in anyway or reveal to Riddle that you are under my control, I will find out. And I will kill you." She roughly pushed Clarona away. "Now go back to your commons."

Clarona clutched her crushed fist and quickly fled. Jessie could hear with her demon ears the girl's sobs as she ran down the deserted corridors. It was intermingled with the sound of the water dripping from Clarona's once pristine hair. Jessie smirked.

Trixz stepped out of the shadows and sat down at Jessie's feet.

Jessie looked down at her loyal friend and said, "I know. But she really is a funny brat."

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With her new secret weapon against Riddle, Jessie was having an immensely fun time.

She taught her classes with an intensity and passion she didn't know her cold, dead soul still possessed. And in her nightly patrols, when she met up with Clarona and heard of all the recent happenings in the boy's meetings, her confidence and imagination soared.

Riddle was going to go down with a resounding bang and Jessie liked the sound of that.

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Days bled together and quite suddenly, Valentine's Day was upon Hogwarts. Headmaster Dippet had taken the liberty of volunteering the teachers into organizing a Valentine's Day dance. All the students were in a frenzy trying to get dress robes and dates for the evening. Everyone was really excited. Well, except for Jessie that is.

She missed Fritz.

And so far, she still did not have a full-proof plan to take Riddle down. She knew from Clarona that he was planning on opening the Chamber of Secrets after the dance.

Apparently Myrtle had made the fatal mistake of asking the Slytherin Prince to the dance, and while externally, his polite rejection might not have seemed so bad, Jessie knew that on the inside he was boiling over at the audacity of a mudblood to ask _him_ out.

So far, Jessie figured that her best bet was to follow Riddle into the Chamber and then somehow kill the Basilisk. She also figured that while she was down there, it wouldn't hurt to also dispose of the annoying-git-himself. Her only dilemma with this plan was the fact that she had no clue whether the Basilisk's stare was as fatal to the undead as it was to the living.

While being a Vampire meant that one was indeed immortal, it did not guarantee that one was invulnerable. She could die.

All her research into the matter was fruitless. She figured the only safe bet would be to try to take out its eyes before she'd have to find out. She figured that powerfully well-placed _Sectumsempra _spells would do the trick.

So, with her half-baked, risqué plan put together, Jessie's only concern was making sure Riddle didn't know she was on to him.

Clarona had proven herself to be loyal to Jessie's threat, so three days before Valentine's, when the two usually met to discuss the happenings of the Knights', Jessie ordered Clarona to take Riddle to the dance and have fun with him. Though not too much she advised. Riddle had to go to the Chamber that night.

With her new found air of subservience, Clarona numbly agreed and as was usual, headed back to her commons for the night.

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The next day, after her sixth year Gryffindor/Slytherin class, Jessie overheard in the hallway Clarona and Riddle talking.

In the snide, yet emotionless tone Clarona had developed, she bluntly asked, "Will you take me to the dance Tom?"

Jessie couldn't see the young dark lord, but she could hear the hesitation in his voice when he replied, "As I'm sure you recall Clar' I'm going to be... busy that night."

"Oh please, I'm not asking you to spend the night with me, I'm just asking for you to have a few dances with me. Besides, it will throw suspicion off of you if the professors saw you at the dance."

"A fair point...Sure. I'll take you." The two apparently departed after this, because Jessie could hear their echoing footsteps receding up the hallway.

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After all the classes of the day had been completed and the Great Hall closed after everyone had finished their supper, the professors started decorating for the big night.

Professor Sprout, who in this time was _very _young-just out of Hogwarts herself, set up rows of magical roses all around the Hall. They were all different colors: reds of course, and then yellows, whites, blacks, and even a few purples and blues. All of them appeared to sparkle and shimmer.

Professor Dumbledore transfigured the House Tables into many different smaller ones and moved them to the outside to make room for people to dance. He also conjured festive pink ribbons that he put _everywhere_. Jessie had to repress a shudder at the pinkness of the room.

Professor Slughorn made a huge bowl of punch, which he jovially stated would get everyone in the Valentine's spirit. Jessie made a note to not drink any of it. Heart shaped puffs of hot pink steam were rising from the swirley pink, red and white liquid.

For her own addition, Jessie set off a small corner of the Hall to be used for photos. She asked around and finally got professor Flitwick to loan her his magical camera. She conjured a black velvet curtain inlaid with the outlines of red roses to separate the photo area. Then, she mounted the camera on a tripod she had gotten Dumbldore to transfigure from a pipe and set up a white marble two seater bench for the couples to pose on. Behind the bench she made the black velvet fade into a scenery the couples pictured. That spell was the trickiest and she had to once more ask for Dumbledore's assistance in getting the conjured fabric to read into the student's desires. For a final touch, Jessie had Sprout come in and set up some beautiful vines to wrap around the tripod, bench and scenery.

When Dippet came in at the end of the night to check over the Hall, he was completely flabbergasted at her work. Jessie just smiled and said she got the idea from mall photos. Dippet's confusion prevailed at the muggle word, but he nodded like he knew what she was talking about and handed her a blue rose he had just snatched from Sprout's collection.

"You be sure to save a dance for me Pandora. I'll admit when I'm wrong about someone."

Jessie stared at the lovely blue petals as he walked away. She couldn't help thinking that she didn't want or deserve his acceptance. Afterall, his assumptions of her were probably spot on. She was a killer. And she always would be one.


	7. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: As usual, I'd like to thank the few and wonderful people that reviewed. It's b/c of you that I'm continuing with this. _

_Also, this chapter didn't come out quite right. I apologize. _

**A Future Riddle**

**What Lies Beneath**

The day of the dance dawned bright and clear, or so Jessie was told. As usual, she dared not venture past the dungeons before night fall. Because it was a Saturday, Jessie slept in and when she finally struggled out of bed it was just past three. She spent the remaining time before the dance transfiguring a dress from her trusty black cloak. It resembled the dress she had worn at the Yule Ball, but Jessie didn't care. All that mattered was fooling that arrogant egotistical brat into believing that she was at the dance and there to stay.

Making sure she had her wand and a small compact mirror (just in case the Basilisk was too quick for her) Jessie departed her room and ventured up to the Great Hall where the students were beginning to gather.

She quickly spotted Riddle and Clarona in the midst of their Slytherin friends. All eyes seemed to be glancing enviously over at the attractive couple. Jessie just shook her head at the sadness of it all.

Riddle had everyone in the entire school completely fooled. He was so incredibly manipulative, and they were all so incredibly gullible. How very, very sad. Oh well, that's why she was here, right?

Right at seven, the doors to the Great Hall majestically creaked open and the students filtered into the incredible set-up.

Jessie wasted no time and quickly headed over to her camera station where curious students were already waiting.

At the front of the line Jessie spotted Romulus Rook and Erika Sage. She was surprised to see them together. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff never said anything in her class to one another, and both of them were normally such outspoken people.

At seeing her, Romulus gave a small smile and said, "Hello Professor Pandora. What's behind the curtain? All those dead bodies you've been hiding?"

Jessie grinned at one of her favorite students. "Well naturally, I wouldn't be stupid enough to leave them lying just anywhere." Everyone laughed, though a few of the younger students in the line did look a little frightened. Jessie continued before one of the little ones could go run off to the Headmaster about her exploits. "It's actually a photography set in there. Would you and Ms. Sage care to be my first victims?"

Romulus gave a quick glance over to his date who giggled and nodded. "Sure."

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The night was progressing quite well. So far, Jessie had managed to make everyone who stopped at her booth happy and had kept an eye on Riddle and Clarona. At the moment, the two were dancing to a slow song.

Jessie had to admit that Riddle surprised her with his dancing talents. Who would have thought that the future dark lord knew how to slow dance? Maybe she could just blackmail him into submission?

No, Jessie reasoned, where would be the fun in that?

Jessie was so wrapped up in her thoughts of taunting Voldemort about his dancing skills that she neglected to see the person coming up behind her until it was too late.

"Busy as ever I see," a dark voice murmured. One Jessie knew very well and had longed to hear.

A small smirk graced her features as she continued to stare at the elegant couple on the dance floor.

The mysterious figure stepped up behind her and whispered almost playfully in her ear," So tell me Jessie, are you going to kill him straight away," he ran a finger lightly down the exposed skin her dress neglected to cover. "Or do you intend to play with him a little. Because knowing you, I would have presumed him dead by now."

Jessie turned around, and much to the shock of all the students who had taken an interest in the mysterious pale man's actions towards their Defense teacher, kissed him. It was intense, but didn't last as long as either would have liked. There simply wasn't enough time this night.

Breaking off the kiss, Jessie looked into Fritz's stormy gray eyes and smiled. "I've missed you."

"I would say the same, but you're such awful company," Jessie's smile widened as she pushed him away.

"I'd love to take you to my suite and change your mind about that, but tonight's booked. I actually did plan on killing the twit right now." She danced a finger across his jaw line. "Good timing by the way."

Fritz's features darkened and he crossed his arms. "It's no coincidence that I'm here tonight. Armenius sensed that you might be in danger. He wasn't very specific though."

"Typical. He likes to be all cryptic." Fritz didn't lighten. "Alright Fritz, Alright! There will be considerable danger tonight, but it's nothing that we can't handle." She ushered him behind the black velvet curtain of her photography set to escape the growing number of prying eyes. "Riddle plans to open the chamber tonight. There will be a Basilisk down there. That's really my only concern-Riddle's talents might be formidable, even at sixteen, but they're not good enough to beat me."

"Well, when is he going down there?"

"As soon as he stops waltzing around the room with his arm candy."

Fritz's looked her up and down with an odd expression and finally quirked an eyebrow, "What do you want to do until then?" Fritz narrowed the distance between them until Jessie would have been able to feel his warm breath and hear his heart beat, had he had either of course. He wrapped his arms around her waist and stared at her with an impish grin. His gray eyes flashing amber for an instant.

"I want to watch him so I'll know when he leaves. There will be time after this is over for any other plans you might have had." Jessie smirked as his face soured and he released her.

"Fine then. Go ahead and watch the little git. I'll just go dance with one of the young, vivacious witches out there." He ran his tongue across his fangs, "Haven't seen blood this raw in ages."

Jessie shook her head and caught his wrist before he could vacate the curtained area.

In an urgent tone she whispered, "No feeding. If you get really thirsty, call Trixz. She'll show you to my suite where I have a supply of blood. I don't want you killing any of my students." She gave the smallest of smiles. "I fear I may have grown rather attached to some of them."

Fritz frowned and looked like he was about to argue, but instead, he just glared at her for a second before crushing his lips to hers. She was just starting to kiss back when he broke it off with a satisfied smirk, and giving her a flippant salute, pushed the curtain back and left her.

Jessie just stood there for a second and tried to put a leash on all of her emotions before she too exited the curtain and began lining students up again to take pictures.

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"Do you, like, wanna join me outside real quick?" The sixth year blonde pleaded to Fritz as he spun her on the dance floor. Fritz had a difficult time ignoring the throbbing vein on the girl's neck as he declined.

It had been like this ever since he had walked away from Jessie.

_Jessie._

_Why was she always so difficult? She always said what she thought she was thinking instead of what she truly meant._ Fritz hadn't exactly liked the way she had been staring at the raven haired youth either.

Even now, looking past the love struck eyes of the young witch he was dancing with, Fritz could see Jessie on the perimeter of the floor stalking the boy. Her fluid motions like that of a panther seeking the kill. A predatory glint was in her eye, even if she didn't realize it.

Fritz sighed. Whatever went down in the chamber tonight wasn't going to be pretty. He just hoped Jessie would be able to do what needed to be done.

Of course, he could be mistaken. Maybe she just really wanted the boy dead. He had on numerous occasions seen her take extreme glee in making a good kill on a bad person.

_But then, why? Why was she looking at him like that?_ Fritz swallowed and looked down at the teenager in his arms once again.

He _really_ needed a drink.

Without even realizing he was doing it, he pulled the excited girl closer to him and lowered his mouth to just above her neck. _A quick snack wouldn't hurt anyone. _

Suddenly, a tan flash sped past the couple's feet almost tripping Fritz. He immediately came to his senses and much to the girl's disappointment moved away from her slightly. His enhanced eyesight just caught the sight of a tail as it rounded the corner out of view.

When the song ended, Fritz very quickly excused himself from the flushed girl and found a better target: the so-called arm candy Riddle had been parading around the dance floor for the better part of the night. Maybe that would get her attention.

Hopefully.

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_What on earth is he doing? _Jessie thought as she witnessed Fritz excuse himself and head over to Clarona and Riddle. _Is he trying to blow my cover?_

Jessie's worry quickly changed to amusement as she saw the look of disbelief on Riddle's face as Clarona agreed to dance with the complete stranger. It was priceless.

Jessie, however, did not laugh when she saw the provocative way Fritz was slow dancing with the girl.

Clarona's ever present dour expression and condescending leer had vanished as, for the first time since becoming damned, she smiled.

Jessie shook her head, _Is his hand actually where I think it is? Oh..my...god. It iiis. Eeeeew!_

"Revolting, isn't it?"

Unlike when Fritz had tried to surprise her, Riddle actually succeeded in getting Jessie to jump.

In anger, Jessie pivoted around and hissed, "Five points from Slytherin for startling a teacher Mr. Riddle."

The boy winced at the use of his muggle name, but otherwise remained emotionless.

Riddle shrugged, "House rivalry seems fairly petty to me. Much bigger things in life to worry about _Professor_."

"Care to elaborate Tom?" Both Jessie and Riddle turned around to see the flushed face of Albus Dumbledore. In tow behind him was a brunet witch with a severe bun who appeared to be a few years his junior. Her face was equally flushed as she gazed admiringly at her dance partner.

Riddle raised an eyebrow at the stranger.

"Oh, Forgive me." Dumbledore stepped aside and gestured to the witch, "this is Minerva McGonagall. She graduated from Hogwarts a few years back. She's interning under me to become a Transfiguration instructor."

In a curt voice, one that seemed reserved only for Dumbledore, Riddle stated, "I haven't seen her around though. Isn't she supposed to be student teaching or some rubbish?"

If Dumbledore was at all angered by the Slytherin's rudeness, he didn't show it. Instead, he just shook his auburn head and said, "I'm afraid we haven't made it to that part yet. Minerva is still working on her advanced Warlock level Transfiguration studies. Hopefully you'll be able to see her student teaching by the next fall term."

Riddle sneered. "Yes. _Can't wait for it._ And in regards to your earlier inquiry, I simply meant that when we graduate and go into the _real _world, inter-school rivalry won't mean a thing."

Dumbledore looked like he was about to settle in for a friendly debate when McGonagall, glancing nervously at Riddle, tugged on the Professor's sleeve and whispered, "Just drop it Albus."

Ethereal strains started up the next piece of music. It had a kind of slow, deliberate beat about it. One that almost seemed to lure people into it. McGonagall, in an excited tone nodded to Jessie and Riddle, "It was nice meeting the both of you." She then quickly took hold of Dumbledore's arm and steered/dragged him onto the dance floor saying, "Just one more dance Albus. I really love this song!"

Dumbledore, as he was being carted off just shrugged and gave a happy little grin.

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Jessie almost laughed at the disgusted face the Slytherin heir was sporting. "You were saying Riddle?"

He finally looked away from the spectacle of Dumbledore trying to do the electric slide and with a tone of the utmost distaste said, "I'll reiterate once again since your memory seems to be so challenged...Re-volting."

Jessie didn't appreciate the way he was talking about her colleague. "As much as I dislike pointing out faults in any of my students, I'm afraid I must agree. You're lemon-face is quite revolting." Before he could snap back, Jessie quickly said in an irked manner, "Was there some reason for your coming over here Riddle? Because I find your presence to be somewhat, if not entirely, very negative. Not to mention annoying and highly nauseating."

It might have been a trick of the light, but his emerald eyes seemed to darken, almost become black. He stepped forward, an ominous, confident expression written on his face. "That's rich." The corner's of his lips quirked upward. "Coming from you. A creature of the night whose sole existence relies on feeding off the life force of others."

When Jessie crossed her arms and continued her glare of death, Riddle stepped aside and gesturing to Fritz and Clarona, stated in a self-assured voice, "No wonder he couldn't wait to get away from you."

Jessie knew better than to accept his bait. She started to walk away from Riddle, but his hand clamped down on her shoulder.

Close to sceaming at him to get the hell away from her, she almost vamped out as she turned around.

However, what she saw, contrary to making her kill him right there and then, confused her.

He was offering his hand to her. She saw his jaw line tighten and heard him say, "Do you care to do something about it? Or just stand around and look like a kicked bat?" Not really focusing on his words, she only saw a quick flash of red pass his eyes before she put her pale hand in his own and followed him onto the dance floor where the eerie song continued to play.


	8. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame. _

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are completely amazing. _

**A Future Riddle**

**The Chamber of Truths**

Jessie was never a good dancer. In fact, back when she was human, her dancing resembled that of a drunken sailor.

Now that she was immortal, and had lived through decades of history and culture...her dancing talents still reeked.

Fortunately for her, Tom Riddle was an exceptionally accomplished dancer. A fact which he took great pleasure in reminding her.

"No. No. No. You're doing it all wrong." He shook his raven head in annoyance and gripped her waste a little tighter in an effort to steer her into the correct dance step.

Jessie frowned and 'accidentally' stomped on his polished black shoe. He hissed in pain and Jessie noted with satisfaction that his eye twitched.

In a far too chipper voice she exclaimed loud enough for him to hear, "Oh dear me! I'm so sorry Mr. Riddle. Are you alright? Can I get you anything? Gillyweed? Arsenic? Bubonic Potion... Cyanide?"

"Short of you taking a short walk with me out in the sunlight, no. There is nothing you can give me."

Jessie smirked and then with her eyes flashing amber whispered, "I'll walk in the sunlight with you in hell Riddle. Until that day comes, how about we quit meandering and get right down to it." She pulled him closer to her and put her arms around his neck. He stiffened in surprise, but regained his cool when he found her voice next to his ear. "I know all about Clarona."

Immediately, waves of trepidation and mild panic emitted from Riddle. Jessie could almost taste his fear. She wanted more of it.

"Oh yes. Did you think for one instant that you could use her against me? I knew all along that she was confiding in you all the things I explicitly told her not to. It is the bond I share with her. There is nothing that she does that I do not know."

Jessie expected him to be furious, she expected him to deny, she expected him to succumb to his fear. However, all he did was laugh.

An inhumanely cold, high-pitched laugh.

How the tables turn. Now it was Jessie who feared.

She cursed herself for being distracted, for there, strategically positioned around the Great Hall were no less than fifteen Knights of Walpurgis in matching black dress robes.

"All it takes is an order, and then the bloodshed will begin. Would you care to give it?" He began laughing again.

In sheer disgust, Jessie roughly pushed him away and whipped out her wand. Before Riddle had a chance to react, she raised it high in the air and screamed, "_IMPEDIMENTIA_!"

It was as if time had literally stopped. Dumbledore was freeze-framed in the classic disco pose, Romulus Rooks was lip-locked with Erika Sage in the middle of the dance floor, Clarona and Fritz were both staring wide-eyed at Riddle, and the future Dark Lord himself was stuck reaching out to where Jessie had been, attempting to stop her from casting the spell he currently suffered from.

Jessie spared him a quick glare and proceeded to calmly walk over to each of the immobile future Death Eaters and steel their wands. She deposited them in the punch bowl and then walked back over to Riddle.

Training her wand on his repulsively handsome face, she commanded, "_IMPERIO_!"

Glancing over her work, she looked about ready to finite the impedimentia, but almost as an afterthought, cast a quick _aquamenti _spell on Clarona's perfect hair.

Satisfied with her work, she finally intoned, "_FINITE IMPEDIMENTIA_!"

As if they had not been motionless for the past five minutes, everyone began moving again.

Clarona shrieked in surprise and quickly cast a drying charm on herself which only served to aid her hair in resembling a fluffed out shetland on a bad day.

Riddle dropped his outstretched hand and stared indifferently at the world around him. Jessie put her arms around his neck again and said, "A few spins around the floor Riddle. And while you're at it, tell your thugs to stand down."

Riddle lethargically gave a hand signal of the negative variety and resumed dancing with her as his minions unobtrusively abandoned their posts and joined their fellow Slytherins around the hall.

A quick glance around and Jessie was satisfied that not even Fritz was watching her. She pulled away from Riddle and said, "Take me to the Chamber."

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The way up to the second floor girl's lavatory had been torture. With every step, it had become increasingly difficult to maintain her imperious on the sixth year. His mental shields were amazingly well-fortified and it was apparent that he was going to throw off the spell any minute.

Thankfully, they had arrived at the bathroom and entered the chamber before it wore off.

Sliding down the tunnel, Jessie's concentration had wavered for a second and as soon as she had reached the end and fell quite heavily on her butt, she found herself looking down the end of her own wand.

Riddle pressed the tip against her throat and bayed her to stand up.

Keeping the wand exactly where it was, Riddle gestured for her to walk in front of him.

"Before my Basilisk kills you, well, more so than you already are at any rate, there is one thing I'd like to know." They paused before the giant snake encrusted vault door to the chamber and Riddle hissed, "hessh-isssssa" whereupon the snakes clicked into place with a deafening finality and the immense door creaked open.

Jessie easily hopped through the entrance and turned to Riddle with an impudent glare. "Is that right?"

Riddle ignored her and gracefully jumped over the vault's bottom framing to join her in the majestic dark of the Chamber of Secrets.

Calmly turning toward her he said, "Why is it that you know so much about me? You hated me before you even knew me. I can say that of no one. Not even your precious Dumbledore." She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off, "And don't even say it's because you have some, excuse my slang, 'freakish' Vampire sixth sense of evil or whatnot, because we both know that's rubbish."

Jessie sighed. She turned her back on him and began walking toward the end of the chamber. The emerald gems in the eyes of the giant serpent statues glinted threateningly at her as Riddle raged in a blood chilling voice, "ANSWER ME, OR YOU WILL DIE THAT SOONER!"

She continued to purposefully stride to the head statue of Salazar Slytherin, where she knew the Basilisk slept. In a level voice she said loud enough for him to hear, "I hold no fear of death. I've tasted it. I know from experience that as often as it is sour, it is sweet...and merciful. Go ahead and call your snake. Let it do its worst. But remember, only the weak fear death."

Riddle couldn't see her face, but her words obviously hit a sore spot because he commanded loudly in parseltonge and the stone mouth of Slytherin opened to expel the ancient Basilisk.

As soon as the snake slithered into the water in front of the statue and into Jessie's line of sight, she closed her eyes and with a snarling scream, vamped out.

Riddle commanded the snake to kill her by any means necessary and calmly leaned back against a snake pillar to enjoy the show.

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Jessie's enhanced hearing made it easy to determine when the snake would lunge at her, the hard part, as she rather painfully found out, was that she couldn't differentiate which part of the snake she was dealing with.

Quickly into their battle, the Basilisk had discovered that by distracting her with his tail, he could get in a strike with his fangs.

The snake's lethal venom was beginning to burn her and she had to fight down the nausea the poison was invoking.

Her once elegant black formal was now reduced to a bloodied, ripped mess-It almost made Jessie glad she had to have her eyes shut.

Finally catching onto the snake's game, Jessie devised a plan of her own. The next time the Basilisk's fangs sunk into her back, she twisted around, ignoring the pain of her flesh being peeled away, and gripped onto the large, razor sharp fangs.

In complete surprise, the snake jerked his head up and in a panicked frenzy, tossed it every which way.

Only by sheer will and enhanced strength was Jessie able to keep her grip. While her body was flopping around like a rag doll, she began to slowly twist the fangs off, one at a time.

The snake howled in pain, and, in a last frantic effort, slammed its own head against the stone floor of the chamber.

Jessie felt her spine shatter, but through the fog of pain threatening to blanket her, was pleased to find that she still retained the use of her arms. With a monumental effort, she clutched the elongated venomous fang in her hand and thrust it upward into the snake's brain as hard as was vampircally possible.

The snake shuttered and its entire body withered until, after what seemed an eon, it finally ceased to twitch and lay still.

Jessie opened her eyes, but only saw darkness as she collapsed next to the giant serpent. The blood from the snake intermingling with her own in a pool of crimson.


	9. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If you believe I do, than you need to see a "special" doctor. And if you don't know what "" around the special means, than don't worry about it. Just worship me and pay me lots of well-deserved money. _

_A/N: Thanks to everyone for reviewing. I know the last chapter was not happy, but it can't all be sunshine daisies and butter mellows. Also, I REALLY wanted to leave Clarona dead, but unfortunately I came to the realization that that would mean erasing Sirius from existence and that is something I hate even more than Clarona. _

_And, if any of you really miss **Fritz**, than he is alive and well. I gave him to a fellow writer who couldn't stand the thought of a fan fiction world w/o our favorite ebony-haired-Italian-Lawyer-Vampire. Simply go to my favorite authors page and select Firesolved and read "The Return of Fritz." _

_This chapter is dedicated to my mentor, friend, and sister-Starbright. _

**A Future Riddle**

**Starbright**

The Sparkle in your eyes

Like Stars up in the skies

Nothing can compare

What it is we share

Through the fog that enveloped her mind, Jessie felt herself being effortlessly carried.

_Fritz_

She smiled at the thought of him taking her somewhere. From the moment they met, he had always been her knight in shining armor. A black knight.

The last time he had carried her, they had been near Cairo and Jessie had been ambushed.

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"Look, I can't speak Mumm-ese, and you obviously can't speak English, so why don't we just drop this and walk away?" Jessie gesturing walking away with her fingers to the fifteen or so mummies that surrounded her. The reek from their yellow, matted cloth was strikingly sharp to Jessie's sensitive nose and she wasn't eager to get in a fight.

The full moon overhead allowed the creatures' black eyes to glisten as they began groaning in short, angry gasps and advanced on the lone Vampire.

Pulling out her wand, Jessie gave a short mental message to Trixz and began firing off incendio and diffendo spells.

It worked well enough for the first couple of minutes until one of them managed to avoid her slicing spell and hit her so hard in the stomach that she flew ten feet through the air and landed roughly on her back.

In the second it took for her to regain her orientation, they were all over her.

It's true that Mummies are not the most impressive biters or clawers. They don't even have poison, no. What they have is much worse. The tattered, soiled rags they wear are far more practical than decorative. They keep the essence of the Mummy contained. It is only at their eyes that you can catch a glimpse of the darkness within the rags. Like a self-contained black hole, their soul-less bodies are like the void of space. When a mummy makes physical contact with another creature, that creature's existence, its soul, life-force, entire being, is stripped from them and expelled into the void. They defy the law that matter can neither be created or destroyed.

Created? -no. Destroyed? -most definitely.

Being held down and pounded by three of them, Jessie was unable to do anything but watch in horror as a forth began slowly unwrapping its hand. Or, rather, where its hand should have been.

In its place was a black hole. A sight so disturbing that you couldn't stand to look at it, but felt unable to glance away.

The sheer nothingness of it had Jessie transfixed. She quit moving and relaxed against the cool night sand of the desert. The creatures all backed away from the one with the exposed hand and watched on in eerie, unmoving stillness as the Mummy slowly extended its "hand" to Jessie's calm face.

Jessie just smirked up at the creature and shouted, "One of these days, you're going to regret taking your time!"

The Mummies all paused in confusion for a moment before a black cloaked blur came rushing onto the scene.

Sure enough, it was Fritz sprinting into the congregation, wand ablaze as he gave a sound kick to the offending Mummy's head, effectively knocking the creature to the ground.

He cast a firewall charm around the two of them and turning to offer her a hand, grinned. "I don't regret anything Jinxy."

At her mock pout, he laughed out right and gave her a swift kiss. Drawing back to look at her face he said, "Oh alright, I suuuuupose I would miss your glares, and your tantrums, and your moodiness, and your violence, an-

Jessie swiftly shut him up with a swift kick to the shin and gave her smug, trademark smirk. "So sorry Fritz-y, but you reminded me of violence. What do you say you list the reasons you adore me after we take care of this dirty laundry?"

Grinning wickedly in approval, Fritz nodded and using his raised wand, extended the firewall. At the Mummies shrieks of pain, Jessie fired diffendo.

When the only sound to be heard was the soft roar of the fire surrounding them, Fritz lifted the spell and, still on the alert, made a swift sweep of the perimeter.

Breathing in the refreshing night air, (even though he didn't need to), Fritz said, "Weeeeell...that was a right party. You should get captured by mums more often Jinx."

Fritz turned around to look at where Jessie had been only moments before. His expression fell as panic began to take over. "Jessie?"

"You called?" A silky, playful voice erupted behind him as its owner wrapped her pale arms around his waist.

"You Jinx!" He turned around and glared at her a second before dissolving into laughter and kissing her soundly.

After both their lips were slightly blood stained, and Trixz trotted up to separate them before things got too out of hand in the middle of the desert where more Mummies could attack at any moment, they decided to find Armenius and get out of the accursed region.

"Why don't we just apparate to him?" Jessie said as she glanced down worriedly at her leg. In the process of pounding on her, the Mummies had managed to break her left fibula. She wouldn't have even noticed except that Trixz began to stare at the blood dripping down from the gash where the exposed bone protruded. It would heal quickly, thanks to her Vampirism, but not if she continued to use it.

Fritz noticed where she was staring and said, "A, we don't know where he's at. B, you know this is a Mummy haunt and Mummies make natural apparition wards where ever they go. And C, well, I don't really have a C, but A and B prove apparition impossible. We just need to walk a few miles away from this zone." At Jessie's wince of "miles", Fritz pressed his hand to her cheek and said, "I'll carry you."

Putting a finger to her protesting lips, Fritz continued, "Don't even argue. You know either of us would have no problem carrying the other." Giving a winning smirk he added, "besides, I won't take no for an answer. -Not even from you."

Jessie's eyes softened and she whispered as he bent to pick her up, "Thanks."

Fritz gently scooped her up into his arms and looking deeply into her eyes whispered back, "Anytime."

The moment passed, and they began walking into the dark vastness of the surrounding sands. Fritz cracked a grin and said, "Well, except for during the day, I'm not much of a daytime person."

Jessie laid her head against his icy-cool chest and laughed, "You're not much of a person, but I wouldn't want you any other way."

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As the fog cleared, Jessie's sea green eyes made out black hair and pale skin. Her lazy smile widened and she managed to mumble, "Just like old times huh?"

The icy voice that greeted her however- "I assume you're referring to your deceased Vampire friend?" -was not the one she had expected.

The fog vanished completely as Jessie's eyes opened wide and she identified Tom Riddle to be the one holding her as they traversed through the torch lit halls of what appeared to be Hogwarts.

Her back still broken, Jessie struggled in vain to free herself from his long-fingered cold hands.

"What on EARTH do you think you're DOING!" She shrieked. Several of the portraits awoke from their slumber and began murmuring threats under their breath at the two.

His expression, ever the ice-man, remained completely unpreturbed by her wrath as he calmly said, "Why, professor. Surely you can't be this dense? I'm carrying you to the Astronomy tower of course."

Unable to do anything more than glare, which she did rather well, Jessie gritted out, "You insufferable prick, WHAT HAPPENED? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

"Well, after disposing of your 'friend', I-

"WHAT?" Jessie's unbeating heart gave a sudden lurch.

Tom gave a smirk as he went in for the kill, "Oh, that's right, you were unconscious when I used _your_ want to stab him through the heart. He seemed most distressed at leaving you, but ashes to ashes, dust to dust and all that rubbish right?"

Jessie vamped out. The hatred escaped her amber eyes in waves as she hissed in the most deadliest of whispers, "You will die for that."

Tom looked less than scared at her threat as he shrugged his shoulders and in a voice dripping with sarcasm said, "I'd really hate to see what a crippled, paralyzed, sad little girl is going to do to me. I'm shaking already."

Jessie's features returned to human and in a honey voice that would make your toes curl she said, "I'm going to rip out your heart and eat it in front of you. Then, after I'm done licking the blood from my fingers, I'm going to dump your disgusting, vile carcass in a heated cauldron of undiluted bubotuber puss. After nothing is left in the cauldron but the contaminated puss, I'll dump it in the front lawn of the orphanage where you grew up and then bury it. That way, you'll get to spend all of eternity in the place you love best surrounded by you favorite kinds of muggles."

"Charming. Now-" He began up the winding stairs to the tower. "How is it you know so much of me? You're going to die. Either by the sun that's going to rise in a short while or by your own oak wand. I'll be the gentleman and let you decide how. Your feat in the chamber was most remarkable."

Jessie concentrated on her link with Trixz for a second before replying to Riddle, "I'm not telling you anything Mr. Riddle. And by the way, one hundred points from Slytherin for keeping a Basilisk under the school, two hundred points from Slytherin for hoping to kill muggle-borns, three hundred points from Slytherin for touching me, five hundred points from Slytherin for killing Fritz, and one thousand points from Slytherin for being a slimy, power-obsessed git!"

He arched a black eye brow. "Are you quite done?"

"Five points from Slytherin for disrespecting a teacher."

"Oh, ouch. However will I live with myself now?" The sarcasm was nearly tangible. He continued in a mock excited voice, "I know! I'll simply tell all my brainless followers that you're a moron and they'll believe me and continue to worship the ground I walk on."

They had arrived at the entrance to the Astronomy deck. The crisp Scottish air assaulted Riddle as he walked over to one of the benches and carelessly dropped her.

Jessie held back the whimper of pain in the back of her throat as her fast healing spinal nerves protested the sudden attack.

Riddle stepped back from her, a sadistic smirk of enjoyment plastered on his lips. "Now tell me Professor Pandora, why did you convert Clarona into your spy? How did you know of the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk? How did you know of my intentions, which I did not even reveal to the Knights or that simpering fool Clarona?"

He took a step closer to her and bent down to look her in the eyes. Shades of green fighting each other in a battle for dominance. Finally he said, in a quieter, almost human voice, "And how did you learn of the orphanage and my personal hell there?"

Mentally kicking herself for revealing her knowledge of his childhood Jessie kept her eyes glued to his in a fierce glare as she quipped, "I'm psychic."

Riddle's calm continence disappeared as he straightened up and gestured to the still dark horizon. "It appears you have chosen your end. Farewell Professor."

He leveled his wand at her face.

But after several seconds, nothing happened.

Jessie chanced a glance at him in confusion as she waited for the spell to end her unlife. She was shocked to see the flicker of an inner struggle taking place behind his eyes. _WHAT is going on?_

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_Perhaps I could keep her in the chamber? She couldn't get out of there. _

_Yea..and maybe while you're at it, you could adopt a fanciful unicorn to keep her company. WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM! Simply incinerate the creature and vacate the tower before the old dingbat Dumbledork gets here!_

_But she isn't scared of me! She doesn't like me! In fact, it's rather safe to say she hates me! That's so refreshing! I could just keep her alive a few more days down in the chamber. That would be plenty of time to administer some Veritaserum and see what she knows. Someone spreading my secret would be devastating! _

_Just like you falling for some filthy creature. Now THAT is disgusting. She's not even a witch. She's not even a HALFBLOOD! No! She's a creature. An ANIMAL! QUIT MAKING EXCUSES AND KILL HER NOW!_

The evilier side of his thinking finally winning the battle, as it usually did, Tom shook his head wiping away all useless emotion and commanded, "INCENI-

BOOM! Tom abruptly spun around to see Dumbledore, auburn hair flying everywhere and wand ablaze, burst through the heavy oaken door leading to the Astronomy tower.

Thinking quickly, Riddle put Jessie's wand to his chest and silently cast _Expeliarmus, _effectively throwing himself through the air to crash into the railing of the tower. He grinned in agony as he knew several of his ribs to be broken. Ignoring the pain, Riddle looked around to see the bench he had deposited the Vampire and chunked her wand, as fast as his aching body would allow him.

The wand made it to the bench just as Dumbledore came upon the scene.

"It seems we have missed quite the party," Dumbledore said to the cream colored cat who appeared from behind him and dashed toward the wounded Vampire.

Upon reaching her master, Trixz purred and began to lick the blood away from the compound fracture on Jessie's shin.

Jessie sighed, and letting her head fall back in exhaustion told her feline friend, "One of these days, you're going to regret taking your time."

Choking back a sob, Jessie allowed a single, blood-red tear to roll down her ivory cheek as she thought of a clear, Egyptian night decades ago, when all she had to regret was not meeting Fritz Romani sooner.


	10. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame.

**A Future Riddle**

**Time in Blood**

Jessie's first night on her own as a vampire was an exciting prospect, to say the least. Once she had realized what cemetery she had been taken to by Drake, it was easy for her to run, and yes she ran, rather fast to her home. Once there, she slipped in the back door, and went to her room.

The sight of her beloved room almost brought tears to her eyes, but she held them back and quickly found a spare piece of paper and a pen. She wrote a letter and left it taped to her door. Next, she went to her little brother's room and stood by his bed.

Waylyn looked the same as he always did, annoying. Jessie shook her head at her pesky little brother, who she knew would miss her very much, and she in return. The love between siblings is a very strange and special thing. Something that can never be broken-no matter how much the other might irk you.

Jessie bent down and gave her little brother a kiss on the forehead and said, "I'll miss you, Mr. Know it All." With that, she silently exited the room, shutting the door softly behind her and made her way to her parent's bedroom.

She found them in awkward positions. Clearly, they had been having trouble getting to sleep that night.

Even though she knew vampires weren't supposed to feel love or remorse, Jessie couldn't help but weep at the grief she had caused, and undoubtedly would cause for her loving parents. She gave both of them a kiss on the cheek and quickly turned and

left before she did something stupid-like waking them.

Her last good-bye of the household was the worst, because this goodbye-ee, decided to wake up as they were being kissed on the forehead.

Jessie's cream-colored cat, Trixz, did not like the fact that Jessie had been absent for the past two days. When Jessie had awoken her, Trixz immediately hopped up into her surprised master's arms, where she began to purr profusely and lick Jessie's pale face.

At the thought of not only leaving her family, friends, and home, but also her sweet, wonderful cat, Jessie lost it. She began to bawl.

Not wanting to awaken her family, she ran out the back door and continued running when she hit the street. She didn't know where she was headed, but she knew she had to get out of there.

It wasn't until much later that night that Jessie realized Trixz was still snuggled in her arms.

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Now, being a fugitive vampire running down the road on an empty stomach might be a slightly suspicious occurrence, but being a fugitive vampire running down the road in a blood stained white prom dress with a cat in your arms is sure to attract attention.

And sure enough, a truck pulled up beside her and a middle aged man leaned out and asked, "Need a ride there girlie? I'll take a guess and say you's runnin away from somethin."

Figuring that it couldn't hurt to hit some town fast because day break was soon approaching she said, "Thanks," and hopped in the dirty old Ford pick up.

The man didn't say anything for a while, but out of the corner of his eye glanced over at her enough times to make her uneasy. Finally, after going down some country road for what seemed to Jessie like an hour, the greasy haired middle aged man stopped the truck and turned off the engine.

Jessie, knowing that this would in no way end well, asked, "Is there a reason we stopped?"

The man reached over toward her and said in a sickening husky voice, "I just wanted to pet your kitty."

Before his hand had a chance to go anywhere near Trixz, or herself for that matter, Jessie grabbed him by the throat and snapped his neck.

She waited a minute for the life to leave his dull brown eyes before she pulled the corpse over to her and changing into 'game' face, bit into his neck.

At first, the blood felt sweet and refreshing, but by the time she had drained him off she felt only a deep sense of repulsion. Trixz looked at her in a curious way and meowed.

"I know girl, I shoulda waited for someone younger to come along. This guy tasted like meatloaf." Trixz jumped into Jessie's arms and began purring. "Yea, I'll find something for you to eat, but it'll have to be tomorrow night baby. Sun's rising."

And sure enough, the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon as Jessie and Trixz curled up under the dash board of the beat up Ford.

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At about the same time that Jessie and her cat were falling asleep, Jessie's parents were waking up. As Jim Pandora went to Waylyn's room to wake up his son, a note taped to the door of his lost daughter's room caught his eye. He quickly snatched the note and read:

Good bye Mom, Dad, and Waylyn. I'm so, so sorry to say this, but due to extenuating circumstances, and for your own safety, I must leave you all. Know that I will always love each

of you eternally and that I would not be doing this unless it were absolutely necessary. Rest assured that this is no fault

of yours. I will try to instigate the principles you have instilled in me and intend on making the most of the path I have been given.

Your loving daughter for all of time,

Jessie Pandora

p.s. Tell Terry's family that it was a deer in the road.

The Pandora family kept the letter and continued searching for there daughter. They never found her, but every holiday season they received an unmarked Christmas card that always read in the same hand writing, "All of my love is with you." And every year, there was a hand drawn galloping horse on the back of the card.

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After that first kill, Jessie developed a pattern. She would never hunt the innocent, she would never kill someone who helped her, and when she did kill, unless the person had just really ticked her off, she would kill them quickly.

For about five years, things stayed pretty much the same. Jessie and Trixz would travel from town to town, (sometimes catching rides, sometimes walking, and if the sun was approaching, running) and they would be accosted by some jerk, who, strangely enough was not missed the next day when he or she went missing.

Jessie was curious about the world of magic Drake had said was as real as her need for blood, but she was also leery of it. If she entered it blindly, she'd have no way of determining how Vampires were treated. For all she knew, she could waltz up to Hogwarts and be pelted with garlic before some Aurour was called in to steak her.

Not liking the way that scenario played out in her mind, Jessie continued living the traveling life. By this time however, her only concern was Trixz.

Her beautiful cream colored cat was in no way a kitten anymore, and Jessie feared that if she lost Trixz, she would lose her one connection to her old life.

Jessie didn't want to forget a thing, and she certainly didn't want to lose another one of her best friends, so she took a chance and tried something stupid for once.

She had never before heard of an animal being made vampiric, but she figured it took the same basic actions. After making sure Trixz had a good meal of canned catfood, (she had gotten the money to buy it off of her last victim who had probably stolen that money himself) Jessie called her cat to her. She took Trixz in her arms and holding her securely, she carefully bit into Trixz's neck. She quickly spit out all the white fur and started drinking her cat's blood. It tasted far more bitter than that of a human, but Jessie now knew for sure that it was possible for her to live off the blood of other animals, if needs be.

Strangely enough, Trixz made no effort to escape. The cat seemed to understand that this was not an act of aggression, as she had seen her master do countless times, but rather, an act of love.

Thoroughly loathing herself for what she was doing to her innocent cat, but unable to stop herself from doing it, Jessie drank until she could almost feel Trixz's heart stop beating. She then gently laid her cat down and using her fangs, made a small slit in her wrist. She had no idea if this would work or not, but Jessie put her new cut over Trixz's mouth, and holding it open with her other hand, forced the blood dripping from her wrist into her cat's open mouth.

She gave enough blood to make sure that there could be no way some of it had not found it's way deep inside her cat, and then she held her wrist and waited a few seconds for it to heal. She had found on her numerous adventures that vampire healing was a highly useful and amazing thing.

When Jessie saw and felt that Trixz had stopped breathing and her heart had finally stopped beating, Jessie took her cat in her arms and made her way to the hotel room she had been renting for the last two days.

That day had been a hard one for Jessie. She had spent most of her time checking on the dead Trixz and then falling discouraged onto the bed.

It wasn't until three hours after sunset that Jessie finally saw movement from her cat. Trixz was stirring.

As Trixz slowly awoken, Jessie got the strangest feeling. She felt as if she could feel Trixz waking up and feel the confusion going on in her mind.

When Trixz finally hopped up and came over to Jessie, Jessie could sense Trixz's thirst. When Trixz meowed, Jessie knew what her cat was trying to tell her, instead of just guessing.

"Wow Trixzzy!" Jessie exclaimed as she picked up her cat. She noticed as she did so that, just as she had undergone transformations when changed, Trixz had too.

Her old cat was now as youthful as a kitten and her coat positively gleamed with the false health that came from being undead.

Jessie laughed when she felt Trixz's resentment at being called Trixzzy. "I guess I can't call you that anymore girl!" Trixz nodded and began purring in her master's arms.

"We should probably get out of here. Let's go find someone to eat," Jessie said as she gathered her small pack consisting of the few meager belonging she had obtained and headed out the door. The nights were bound to be more interesting -now that she had an accomplice.


	11. Chapter 6

**A Future Riddle**

**The Yule Serpent**

Jessie loved her new residence. Her private room was in the dungeons and offered no danger of sunlight whatsoever. Inside her room was a large four-poster bed decked out in blood-red. There was also a small cooler as well as a dresser and a closet. It was obvious that Dumbledore had seen to her room, because the cooler was stocked with bags of blood. Her bathroom was amazing too. It had a large hot tub complete with perfume faucets and fluffy blood-red towels. When Jessie had first entered her room, she had felt a ridiculous need to jump on the bed like a giddy school-girl. Luckily, in Dippet's presence, she had managed to curb her desire.

With Dumbledore's permission, Trixz was given free reign of the school. Dumbledore had quelled Dippet's anxiety by reassuring the old bat that Trixz would be useful in ridding the school of its gnome infestation. Already, with Jessie just beginning to unpack her ancient travel bag, Trixz had scampered off to explore. The cat seemed as happy to be in the school as Jessie.

The whole atmosphere of the castle was joyous. It was practically impossible to not be affected by the holiday spirit going around. The House Elves had set up decorations everywhere. Seeing the enchanted mistletoe and the gigantic heavily fairy-lighted Christmas tree had made Jessie's dead soul soar.

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On the Eve of Christmas, Jessie had been in her new classroom setting up various Defensive Dark Arts objects when none other than the object of her pained curiosity had silently appeared in the doorway.

Tom Riddle had consistently been absent. Jessie had never yet seen him at meals or anywhere for that matter. When she had inconspicuously asked Dumbledore which students were staying, he had assured her suspicions that Tom was in the castle. Where in the castle however, always seemed to be where she was not.

Jessie's senses warned her that she was being watched. Quickly, she pivoted and met the eyes of the dark haired stranger leaning lazily against the door frame.

Tom was almost as pale as any Vampire, and his sharp cheek bones and handsome features made him all the more formidable, but what caught her attention the most was his devilishly glowing emerald green eyes. She had always thought of black or Voldemort's red slits when picturing the face before her. The intense green was mesmerizing and Jessie found herself getting lost. She quickly snapped out of it and shook her head smirking when she realized why he was staring at her so harshly. The silly boy was trying to pry into her mind!

She gathered her defensive mind blocks and using a nonverbal legilimens spell, said Boo to the Young Dark Lord.

He quirked an eye brow at her. "Boo back." He finally said as he calmly glided into her classroom. She waited patiently as his eyes took in the various objects she had displayed. He seemed to be assessing her and probing for weaknesses. Jessie thought this a little premature, but maybe he deserved more credit then she was giving to him. After-all, she had already underestimated Grindelwald. It would be foolish to commit the same mistake twice Jessie reasoned.

When he had finally tired of pretending to look around the room, he turned to Jessie and said carefully, "I wanted to meet you before term started and introduce myself. Always interesting to know what the new DADA professor is like."

Jessie didn't like at all the way he was so confident in his use of the word "what". Did she just go around with a big sign saying, "Hi! I'm a Vampire. Why don't you all tell me about it?" on her back?

Tom advanced up to her and held a hand out. Jessie remained with her arms crossed and face impassive. Tom smirked slightly and let his hand fall indifferently.

"Tom Riddle, Sixth Year Prefect," he said smugly, knowing that he was grating on her nerves.

Jessie remained emotionless and said in a flat tone, "Jessie Pandora. But you shall address me as Professor."

Tom sensed that she was going to be stubborn and wisely retreated. On his way out however, he said with his back facing her, "Yes Professor Pandora."

Jessie remained where she was with her arms crossed for several minutes after he had left. It was certainly interesting meeting the annoying, arrogant future badass of the Wizarding World.

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Christmas day started early for Jessie. It had been decades since she had been forced out of bed in the actual daytime morning. Professor Dumbledore had somehow convinced the traitorous Trixz to berate Jessie until she awoke. With Trixz continuously pouncing on her as she tried to sleep, Jessie had eventually caved.

Before leaving her room, Jessie slipped on her large black wizarding cloak over her usual outfit of faded jeans and a black sweater. She didn't want to risk accidentally passing by any windows and smoking up the hallway.

As she traveled through the vast dungeon corridors and passed a section of particularly damp gray stone, a figure emerged from seemingly beyond the stone. It was none other than the heir of annoyingness himself.

His devilish eyes lit up at seeing her and he quickly came into step with her and said, "Happy Christmas Professor. I didn't think it was safe for you to be out and about right now, but I was obviously mistaken."

His biting remarks brought a smile to her face. So it was a challenge he craved for? A challenge he would get.

"Oh, it's not. I do hope you don't accidentally get cut. With the two of us all alone down here, who knows what could happen?"

"I'm sure the great and all-powerful Dumbledore would arrive before anything got too out of hand." His voice cracked with hatred as he spit out the deputy headmasters name, but he regained his silky voice and devilish glint as he added, "and wouldn't that be a pity?"

Jessie was almost thankful that they had arrived at the great hall before she had to answer. He was definitely NOT trying to bring out the best in her. And any more of their "little talk" and she might have snapped his arrogant neck.

Quickly leaving him to sit up at the head's table, Jessie was greeted by Albus who took her hand and wished her a very merry Christmas, and indeed it was.

The Great hall was beautiful in all it's holiday splendor and the breakfast affair was amazing in its variety of foods. Unfortunately for Jessie, she didn't really eat food anymore. It was like trying to eat grass as a human. It just didn't work.

Dumbledore kept her occupied however and surprised her when he said, "By the way, I'm sorry I forgot to inform you, but with all the excitement over Grindelwald's defeat, it's a little understandable." Jessie nodded politely and waited for him to continue. "Every year, Hogwarts has its annual Yule Ball. It was a tradition started by the Triwizard tournament many many years ago, and the students liked it so much that it became a Hogwart's tradition. As a teacher, I expect you to attend and chaperone the kids. Make sure their hormones don't get the better of them and all that fun sort of stuff!"

At seeing the look of horror on her face, Dumbledore misinterpreted it and said jovially, "Have no fear! It's completely at night. It starts at 7:30. Don't be late my dear! And do try and save me a dance." With a last twinkle, Dumbledore excused himself and left Jessie to her misery.

Jessie spent the remainder of her day asking the other female professors if they had a spare dress she could borrow. Finally, at 7:10, with no hope of acquiring a dress in sight, Jessie sighed and transfigured her black cloak into what she hoped would be a presentable dress.

She had made it floor length and form fitting. As for design, it was held up by spaghetti straps and showed off a good portion of her back. The fabric wasn't great, but overall, with the materials she had, Jessie felt unusually proud of herself. She completed her outfit by transfiguring her combat boots into black heels and doing up her golden hair in a somewhat tidy attempt at a bun.

After getting Trixz's purr of approval (which might have been bribed out by a bag of blood), Jessie left her room and nearly flew to the Great Hall where everyone had already entered. She was only ten minutes late as she pushed open the doors and had to endure the stares of all the students and professor's who were already seated and enjoying their meals.

She ignored the stares as she quickly made her way to her seat next to the beaming Dumbledore.

As she sat, he leaned over to her and whispered, "You look amazing tonight my dear. Don't forget to save me a dance."

Jessie could only nod. She didn't know whether Dumbledore was teasing her, serious, or a combination of the two. Knowing Dumbledore however, she assumed it to be the latter.

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After pretending to pick at her food for the past twenty minutes, Jessie looked up to find several couples already on the dance floor. As her eyes unknowingly scanned the room for Slytherin's heir, a hand lightly tapped her shoulder. It was Dumbledore suggesting with a wink that it would be easier for her to search for someone if she actually got up and started with her duty as chaperone.

Jessie shot Dumbledore a quick smile and headed off for a perimeter sweep. She quickly found herself forgetting the dark hared wonder as she was asked to dance by quite a few of the seventh year boys who kept asking her why they hadn't seen her before. When Jessie got to the part about her being their new professor, they usually opted to imitate a fish and discontinue the dance. After this happened several times, Jessie found it wiser to inform them after the dance had ended to prevent a traffic accident.

It was while she was dancing with the Gryffindor Quiditich Captain, a muscular blonde boy of about seventeen named Sean Patterson, that she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. Before she even knew what was happening, and Sean for that matter, Jessie was in the arms of Tom Riddle and Sean was being forced/danced away from them by a burly seventh year witch.

"Oh. What a surprise Ms. Pandora." Seeing the glare she was shooting him, he added with a smirk, "My, that black dress is stunning with your complexion."

"Of course it is Riddle. Now, would you care to explain yourself to your professor?" Jessie was about to boil over any second now.

"No." Riddle said simply as he twirled her before she could address her indignation. Enjoying her anger, but realizing he was pushing it, he continued, "I'd rather explain myself to Jessie, or..." he suddenly pulled her closer to him and whispered in her ear, "Jinx."

That did it. Without thinking, Jessie pushed him out of her personal space and grabbing him by the collar dragged him outside to where a garden had been set up on the grounds.

Once they were safely out of earshot and eyesight, Jessie roughly pushed him onto the ground and with her game face coming on said in a low growl, "How is it you know so much about me Tom?"

It thrilled her when he cringed slightly at the way she had said his hated muggle name.

If seeing Jessie in game face scared Tom, he didn't show it. He simply picked himself off the ground slowly and dusted himself off. Ignoring her completely as he did so.

Finally, he turned back to her and she saw that his smirk was firmly back in place as he said, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Jessie finally came to her senses when she saw him smirk. It reminded her that while the teenage Riddle might be sure of his prowess and abilities, it was she who held the upper hand, and she who had the ability and the motive to kill him where he stood. As the seconds ticked away, and the two stared at each other, Jessie pondered the idea and decided it was the opportune moment.

A calmness seized her and she slipped back into her human features. Slowly, almost sensually, she advanced up to him. Riddle seemed puzzled by her sudden turn in behavior and kept tense.

Jessie didn't stop until she was close enough to smell his scent. It reminded her of evergreens. Her dad probably would have sneezed just by being near the kid, Jessie thought with a laugh. Her dad had been extremely allergic to evergreens.

Riddle stood his ground and seemed confident enough to wait for her to make the next move.

Jessie had been formulating her plan and had decided on distracting him by kissing him and then stunning him with her wand. She would then finish the job by draining him dry. Unfortunately, as she got closer she couldn't help but look at him.

He was so handsome in his black dress robes with his hair slicked back that she began to have second thoughts. Maybe she didn't have to kill him? Maybe she could just talk him out of destroying the world?

Before she could determine a plan of action, Riddle stepped in and grabbed her around the waist pulling her into a deep kiss. Ignoring the shock, Jessie kissed back. Her cold lips were almost on fire at his touch and his fingers scorched where they made contact with her pale back.

Before the kiss could get too passionate, Riddle pulled back and with a satisfied smirk said, "I hate enchanted mistletoe, you never know who you're going to be forced into kissing. Oh well, for a Professor, you weren't terrible. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a prior engagement that must be attended to. Do try to have a little more self-restraint with the other students."

With one last look of triumph, Riddle bowed calmly walked away from the royally pissed-off Vampire.

Jessie had just been made a fool of by a teenage Wizard! She took a few moments to collect herself and then headed back into the Great Hall where she snapped at any students she saw were being too friendly. Eventually, Dumbledore begged her into a two step but Jessie just wasn't in the mood. She was too angry with herself. She apologized to Albus and excused herself, saying she wasn't feeling very well. Too much exposure to daytime she reasoned with him.

Once in the safety of her room, Jessie transfigured her clothing back and fell on her bed. She stop her body from quaking anymore than she could stop her eyes from tearing a few moments later. For the first time since she had been turned, Jessie wept. She knew she was being childish, but she couldn't help it.

No one beat Jessie Pandora at her own game, but Tom Riddle just had, and it frightened her. For the first time since she had come up with the incredible idea of defeating the Dark Lord before he became Voldemort, she doubted herself.


	12. Chapter 11

**A Future Riddle**

**Eternal Death**

Riddle had long ago vacated his leaning position against one of the many marble serpent statues that lined the hall of the chamber. He had been so surprised that the Jinx had taken on his Basilisk with nothing but her own strength that he hadn't even realized when he had moved closer to the battle.

He hadn't known whether to laugh at her stupidity, her audacity, or her foolish courage. So, rather than making up his mind, he had simply watched.

He had tried to fire a stunner at her when he saw her twisting out his snake's fangs, but the giant serpent had turned at that exact moment and taken the spell itself. Riddle hadn't wanted to risk hitting his pet again, so he reframed from further fire. It had been apparent by then who was going to win anyway.

His snake, though bloody-mouthed, was still very much in charge and Jessie was just barely holding on.

Right when Riddle thought Jessie could no longer hold on, his snake panicked and crashed its head against the stone floor. In that instant, Riddle could see, and hear Jessie's spine shatter. It was a sickening crunch.

Riddle smiled a humorless, satisfied smile. Though the Basilisk was dazed, the battle was as good as over.

Riddle was just about to walk over to the pair and say his last snide words to her broken body when he saw her clutch the elongated, extracted fang in her bloodied hand.

Momentarily forgetting his wand, his thoughts screaming NO! he sprinted as he had not since his days in the orphanage when the bigger kids would pick on him. His soul driving thought was to save his one true friend in the entire world.

Naturally, the event happened in slow motion and Riddle was incapable of reaching the scene in time. All he could do was watch in horror as the Vampire drove the fang into the brain of the ancient magical creature.

Riddle cried out in agony as if it were he who had just been killed and ran the remaining distance to his pet. He crouched down next to the eye of the Basilisk and stroked its scaly head, murmuring soft, comforting words through his tears. It was not until its last, shuttering breath had left it that his gaze shifted to the unmoving Vampire.

His emerald eyes flashed red as he stared down at her lifeless form. Pulling out his own wand, a look of utter hatred adorning his face, he lifted his arm to cast incendio when, from the partially opened vault door, a figure screamed in a terrified shrill, "TOM!! HELP ME!!!"

Riddle quickly whirled around to face a tear-streaked Clarona being roughly pushed into the chamber by a black-cloaked stranger. Clarona saw Tom and a pathetic look of frantic hope filled her eyes, "HE'S ONE OF THEM TOM!! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!! HE-"

SNAP!!!!

Clarona never got to finish because the dark figure holding her twisted her head so hard, her spine snapped. The dark figure coolly stepped over her prone body, being careful not to touch her out of disgust and advanced on the future dark lord, his features hidden behind the dark shadow of his cloak.

In a sarcastic drawl he said, "Oooops... Too late. -I already killed her. I wonder what she was about to say?" The figure stopped just short of Riddle who was menacingly still, waves of hatred radiating off his black, almost pristine dress robes.

"Do you think this will change anything?" Riddle finally hissed in a deadly whisper.

Fritz lowered his cloak and grinned. "Yea. Actually, it already has."

Riddle leveled his wand at Fritz's chest and said, "You're wrong...INCENDIO!!"

A huge fireball flew from his wand and engulfed Fritz in a red inferno.

An evil smirk threatening his lips, Riddle finally released the spell and said, "They say that fire is the devil's only friend. You'd better get used to it...well, that and being a big pile of ash."

Riddle was suddenly stuck behind the head by a silently cast bludgeoning curse. He whole body fell forward from the impact, but he managed to keep his feet and quickly pivoted to see the laughing face of a very unburnt Fritz as he said, "Daft little git, it's not me who needs to enjoy being burnt in the deepest fires of hell. I'm very happy to inform you that that pleasure is strictly yours."

Riddle's eyes became completely red as he slowly, almost lethargically laughed in that high-pitched other worldly screech of his.

Fritz's eyes widened slightly for an instant, but he regained his cool and said, "I knew I was funny, but hey.. let's not take it overboard."

Eye's still blazing scarlet, Riddle said, "But it IS funny. For you see, I shall never go to hell," Riddle took a threatening step toward Fritz, "I shall never die." He took another ominous step. Fritz held his gaze and his ground. "And..." One last step. "I shall never be defeated." The two were now so close that they could feel the magical energy radiating off the other.

They both raised their wands at the exact same moment, but instead of casting the killing curse like Fritz opted to, Riddle took a page out of Jessie's book and using his wand like a wooden stake, plunged it straight through the heart of the ebony-haired demon.

His killing curse lacking the necessary emotion to back it up-it's funny how receiving a fatal blow can do that to one, Fritz mused as his skin started to disintegrate-only managed to give Riddle a very beautiful, jagged cut across his left cheek.

In the second it took for Fritz's pale skin to fade to ash, Riddle's lips twitched into what might be described as a grin and he said, "The 'Professor' will join you shortly."

Fritz's last look was one of total despair as his eyes frantically sought out Jessie's inert form.

Finally, as if a gentle wave had come to wash away his spirit into the vastness of the heavenly bodies, time and space, his body was reduced to ash, and that ash exploded into a fine golden dust that littered the dank air and flew to every corner of the chamber.

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Not even pausing to relish in his victory, Riddle immediately walked over to the prone form of Clarona, and leveling his wand at her still-warm body, took a deep breath and intoned, "EXPERGO EXANIMUS-INFERI!"

A chilling supernatural wind blew up around her body and lifted her into the air. Her features began to glow a deep, muddy red as her muscles began to spasm.

Tom watched all of this intently and as soon as her eyes opened, revealing nothing but two lifeless, black pits, he raised his wand yet again and commanded, "BASIO ANIMA!"

All of the sudden, the black of her eyes glowed an intense, blinding white and she took a shuddering, gasping breath of life. Her features returned to normal and the ethereal wind that had picked her up left, allowing her coughing, choking form to roughly fall to the ground.

Spotting the pensive face of her beloved Tom, she began sputtering and crawling pathetically towards him.

With a look of the utmost disdain, Tom slowly backed away from her.

Still unable to form words, Clarona began to whimper.

Looking down at her like a king might a peasant, Riddle condescended, "My dear, you are now free of the Vampire's curse." She cautiously looked up at him, hope once again knocking.

He slowly shook his head, "Unfortunately, all that was needed to accomplish this feat...was your death." He paused, ignoring the look of terror her face displayed. "That, having transpired, has left you quite unliving I'm afraid." He looked anything but afraid.

Finally finding her vocal chords, Clarona cried out in a hoarse whisper, "Wha...What a-am I?"

Not even bothering to hide his pleasure at seeing her choking on her own fear, he nonchalantly answered, "You are the very first modified inferi." At her look of horror, he turned around and began walking toward the other unliving being in the chamber.

A wicked sneer adorning his pale, chiseled features, he said, "Congratulations."

He made sure he said it just loud enough for her to hear.

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While Clarona sat crying her eyes out on the stone floor, Riddle stood before the intrusive Vampire, pondering what to do with her.

He could always kill her. But that wouldn't be much fun seeing as she was rather unconscious. And, his earlier rage at the death of his pet had been quelled when he offed her Vampire cohort.

Doing what he did best, Tom Riddle logically analyzed the situation:

Lying before him was a very powerful, magically-inclined Vampire who somehow knew more about him than she was willing to let on. Yes, he could dispose of her now, but then he'd never find out what, or more importantly how she knew whatever she knew of him.

Convincing himself with his logical side that this was the reason he chose not to immediately kill her-and DEFINITELY NOT because he found her somewhat intriguing and challenging, he formulated a plan to discover her secret.

He would kill her after finding out.

This seemed to reassure the screaming part of him that said to kill her now and dance on her ashes.

Using the hourglass charm to check the time, he was pleased to see that it was around four in the morning.

He debated whether to float her in front of him or carry her with a weightless charm.

Hoping to keep a low profile, (floating bodies, for some reason, always seemed to stick out), he opted for the latter decision. He cast the appropriate spell and bent down to scoop up the bloody mess that somewhat resembled his Defense Teacher.

While part of him was completely disgusted at touching a filthy magical creature-especially one as infuriating and grunged up as she currently was-a newer, more annoying side of him, reveled at seeing her pale features this close up.

He struggled to look away, but much to his horror found that for once in his life, he was powerless.

For what seemed an eternity as he gazed at her, almost as if seeing her for the first time, one word seemed to escape his subconscious thoughts and in a soft sigh lingered on his lips for the barest of moments.

Beautiful.

He hated the word, and loathed it when its sickening, love-filled tones would reverberate around his castle but there was no other way to describe her.

'Why does she have to look so good covered in blood?' His inner thoughts whined.

Repressing the urge to bring his fingertips to her cheek and feel for himself if they were infact porcelain, he roughly averted his eyes, mentally kicking himself, and began to exit the chamber.

His eyes caught the still-bawling form of Clarona just as he was about to step through the chamber door.

Giving an agitated sigh, he said, "Silence." She looked up and finally noticed what it was he was carrying. Before she could inquire and possibly protest, he continued, "You will go to your dorm and act as though nothing is wrong. Technically, nothing should be."

For the first time in as long as Tom had the misfortune of knowing her, Clarona glared at him.

He laughed, "Well, of course! You're not really of the living, but so what? You're more alive than any other inferi-thanks to my own newly invented Dark spell. And you have almost all necessary life functions as opposed to this creature here." He hoisted Jessie a little higher in his arms. "Now, as a reward to me for bringing you back, a feat I'm sure not even Salazar himself would have dreamed possible, I want you to turn your attentions toward Orion."

A single tear ran down her face as she cried out in protest and indignation, "Why?!" Frustration began to show as well as she continued in a quieter, more fearful tone, "You're the one I love...why can't you love me too? Orion will never amount to anything. Why him? Why?" Choking back another wave of sobs, her voice cracked in the softest of whispers, "Why?"

"Because I can't, don't, and never will. Whereas, Orion, a pathetic influential member of Pureblood Wizarding society, who will now owe me a certain amount of allegiance, for some strange reason...does."

Clarona began to cry again as Tom scolded, "Did you honestly ever think I could have feelings for you? I'll admit, you were helpful to me in achieving a believable pureblood image, and I'll always consider you one of my followers, but gods do not bend to the will of mortals." His brow furrowed as he thought of the creature in his arms, but he vehemently shook his head and in an exhausted voice continued, "Just go to your dorm and do as I say. You're 'alive' thanks to me, so your life is basically in my hands. You owe it to me, now go. Before I decide that you weren't worth the trouble of bringing back from the dead."

Sniffling, and refusing to look at him, Clarona rushed past him and flew the chamber. Tom caught up to her a few minutes later as she realized she didn't know the way out.

His face giving away none of the misgivings he was feeling with his current situation, Tom used his wand to levitate the three of them to the Second floor girl's lavatory whereupon Clarona took one last reproachful look at Tom before morosely scuffling away toward the dungeons.

In his tiny black heart, Tom almost felt pity for her.

Squashing that revolting emotion, he spared a quick glance at the still form in his arms before making his silent trip to the Astronomy tower.


	13. Chapter 13

**A Future Riddle**

**When You Were You**

"You don't understand Albus! He needs to be eliminated!" Jessie paused a moment in her rant to crack the hospital wing door open and check on the young pain-in-the-butt Dark Lord. He looked to be asleep, but Jessie could hear his pulse and knew he was listening in on her and Dumbledore. His smooth white face emotionless, but his dark brows were slightly knit together in concentration, betraying his otherwise Oscar-worthy performance. She didn't really care though, better he heard it anyway.

"He is a danger. By allowing him to stay here, you're putting all the other children at risk. I'll go to the board of Governors if I have to, but he is NOT going to get away with this!" She glared at her colleague and dared him to argue.

He did not disappoint.

Giving a sigh, Dumbledore calmly stated the obvious, "I believe you Jessie, but that doesn't change the fact that you have no proof. If you take this to the Governors, there's a strong chance that they will look into your record as well and come to the conclusion of your true nature. That, of course, will mean your resignation."

"It doesn't matter! I just want him gone! Gone from Hogwarts, Gone from England, GONE FROM THIS PLANET!" Her eyes flashing amber, Jessie took a deep breath and said in a softer tone, "Albus, you know we have to do something. Grindelwald is nothing compared to what this young man will become. We CANNOT allow this to happen. Please...please, help me."

Dumbledore considered her for a moment. Finally, laying a hand on her shoulder and gazing into her blue/green orbs, he said, "What would you have me do my dear?"

Jessie opened her mouth to thank him, but was quickly interrupted as Dumbledore continued in a somber, deathly serious tone that didn't seem to suit him at all. "But I will not kill a student, nor will I allow anyone to do so."

Jessie stood there a moment in the empty hallway, mere feet from where the future Voldemort lay, and pondered how to save the world as it would become without further intervention. It was a grave and monumental task, not to be taken lightly, so Jessie told Dumbledore after a few minutes, "I'm not sure yet...Come back after sunset, I'll have decided by then."

At seeing his questioning look, Jessie added, "I'll stay in here with him and Madame Reynolds and make sure nothing happens. Could you fill in for me in class?"

He nodded, "Actually, this is a great opportunity! I'll get Minerva to sub for me in Transfiguration while I take your class. I believe she's ready. She's been itching for a while to student teach, she told me as much at the dance last night."

Jessie stood there for a moment in awe. Had the dance really only been last night? Surely it had been a few years ago? -at least that was what it felt like. Shaking the dark thoughts of the previous evening from her mind, Jessie gave Dumbledore a small smile and said, "I'm sure she'll be great."

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Jessie stayed out in the dreary, torch-lit hallway outside the hospital wing until she could no longer see Dumbledore's sparkling purple robe. Grimacing, she turned around and strode into the equally dreary hospital setting.

Glancing at the dreary bed she had been in only an hour before, Jessie couldn't help but feel that the dreariness was following her. Perhaps, subconsciously, she was in fact bringing it with her.

It seemed appropriate however, for how could there ever be any happiness anywhere, if Fritz was gone?

Swallowing the grief, the pain, the ...rage that threatened to consume her dare she look upon the cause of all this, Jessie quietly sat down on her bed and stared lifelessly out through the magically tinted windows. Dumbledore's doing of course.

Riddle had the courtesy to not pretend to wake up as he sneered, "You're not going to cry, are you?" He adjusted in his blindingly white bed so that he was sitting up.

Jessie spared him no reply and simply let her mind try to find some comfort in the dark blue linings of the gray clouds -even though she knew them to be puffy white clouds with shimmering silver linings beyond the protective tint of the windows.

Riddle continued to taunt and condescend to her. Jessie's new found numbness seemed to be driving a stake through his heart. Finally, at the point of extreme agitation, (he would have cursed her, but Dumbledore had confiscated both their wands) Riddle asked, "Are you ever going to tell me how you found out about my life, my intentions, my secrets?"

At last, Jessie turned to him and looked him over. It appeared to Riddle that she had just discovered his presence. His blood boiled at her indifference.

For her part, Jessie loved to feel his blood pressure soar. She basked in it for a moment before slowly saying, "When you're ready for it. I promise to tell you. But not before, and certainly not now. You have earned no favor from me." Still in her slow, calm monologue, Jessie continued, "At this moment, I would like nothing better to snap your neck."

Riddle's quickened heartbeat did not show on his face. The boy was a master at controlling his fear, Jessie had to give him that. "What ever happened to the lovely ripping my heart out and letting my carcass boil away in a vat of bubotuber puss? I must say that I found that visual imagery to be far more stimulating."

What a funny thing to be afraid of child of darkness, Jessie thought as she said, "That it may be, but nothing compares to the simple pleasure of feeling a spine crack beneath your fingers." She let her Vampiric features slip to the surface and licking her lips, murmured, "I can just...feel it...right now."

Riddle paled visibly, but his features remained nonchalant.

To be afraid of something you have never experienced...Jessie continued to stare evilly at the boy as she summoned Trixz to bring her a bag of blood.

Trixz arrived a few minutes later with a small bag of the dull red fluid gripped in her jaws. She first serenely jumped onto Riddle's bed, where the future Voldemort gave a small start, and then, quick as a flash, jumped to Jessie's bed and presented her master with the bag.

Jessie gently took the bag from her beloved cat's grip and violently ripped open the bag with her ivory fangs, allowing the cold, dead liquid to gush and spurt. She finished the small bag in several hideous gulps and languidly licked up the last drops, stroking the soft cream-colored fur of the purring Trixz with her other hand as she did so.

She purposely took her time and made sure the horror and disgust were prominent in Riddle before she lazily looked up at him and smirked, "So you want to be evil?" She let a frightening smile come across her demon facade, "You want to be powerful..." She gracefully stood from her now blood-stained bed and, faster than the blink of an eye, appeared directly before the surprised boy. Leaning down over him so that every speck of blood, every shadow of wickedness was evident on her face, Jessie whispered, "You want to live forever..."

Riddle scurried away from her in panic as a mouse might a cat. A look of mingled disgust and fear marred his otherwise perfect face.

He stammered, "No..no.no. no." Feeling more secure a little ways away from the frightening spectacle Jessie made at the moment, Riddle came a little back to his senses and finally said in a shaky voice, "I'll not be robbed of the immortality I have planned!"

Jessie laughed. A truly contorted and otherworldly laugh as her demon vocal chords seemed well beyond the human range.

"Silly, foolish, scared little boy. Did you really think I would offer you the Dark Gift?" Again, Jessie appeared immediately before Riddle as if she had apparated, though Tom knew that was impossible as Hogwart's wards would prevent such an act.

His back against the wall, Riddle was unable to escape as Jessie said in a rhetorical drawl, "Why on earth would I want to spend eternity with you?"

Grinning wickedly, Jessie leaned toward the now still, quivering Riddle and let her fangs caress the skin above the throbbing vein on his neck. She felt Riddle's heart race in fear and...excitement?

Not the reaction she was looking for. Jessie backed up a little from Riddle and let her features slip into human form just as Madame Reynolds came in from her office.

"Is everything alright dears? I just glanced up and noticed neither of you in your beds." The portly older woman asked in concern, her eyes growing a little wider as she rounded the corner from her office and witnessed her patients proximity.

Jessie turned from Riddle's ashen face and giving a reassuring smile, said, "Oh yes. I'm sorry to bring you from your office. Mr. Riddle and myself were simply having a talk. A lot is going to change for him in a very short while, and I wanted to be sure he fully understood the consequences of his decisions."

Madame Reynolds looked confused for a moment, but seeing nothing physically wrong with either of them nodded and journeyed back to her office saying, "If anyone can make a good decision, I'm sure Tom will be able to." In a quiet murmur to herself that only Jessie could hear, the old nurse added, "Such a charming boy. He'll be Headboy next year."

Jessie shook her head in wonderment. Ah, the naiveté of people! Jessie slowly turned around again to stare at the boy/young man in front of her. In his own way, he too was naive. Perhaps more than most.

They continued to regard each other. Neither maliciously nor in hunger, just seeing the other for what they were. Finally, Riddle asked, "What have you and the jolly Professor decided to do with me?"

"Well, Dumbledore says I'm not allowed to kill you. Though, if I were to do that right now, I'm not sure how he could stop me."

Riddle pressed his back further against the wall and whispered, "It'll mean the end of your pathetic existence if you do so, are you really prepared to void your unlife just to make sure I die?"

"I'm more than prepared." However, instead of advancing forward once more as Riddle anticipated, Jessie backed up and let Riddle by her. "Unfortunately, a very old magic keeps me from going against Dumbledore's wish."

Reaching his bed and flopping down on it, Riddle smirked, "You owe him a life-debt."

The blue in Jessie's green eyes sparkled as she stared at him, a smirk playing on her ashen lips. "You have so much potential."

Mild shock on his behalf, and then, "You're changing the subject." But he didn't seem to mind.

"Asking questions you already know the answer to is pointless and unbecoming, a change of subject was in order. Back to where we were before the good nurse interrupted," Again, Jessie moved faster than the human eye could follow, and the next thing Riddle knew, she was gracefully lounging on her bed, staring at him intently. "Why is it you fear death so?"

"Is that what all that was about?"

"No, I also enjoyed seeing you squirm."

Riddle scowled at her mirth and said, "So, you're telling me that you never feared death... back when you were mortal I mean."

Jessie thought for a moment and said, "Not really. I knew, just as I had known nothing before I was born, so I would know nothing after I died. That made living so much sweeter. So much more precious. It made death like a finish line, a prize to receive after all my efforts were completed." Her face darkened and she added in a voice laced with spite and passion, "But that prize was ripped from me, just as it has been ripped from so many others who have died before their time."

Riddle looked at her in disbelief. "So you would rather die a mortal death of old age than live a thousand years?"

"Of course! A life without death is no life at all. After a while, it becomes meaningless and empty. You become a shell merely existing. That is why so few Vampires have ever lived past a lifetime or so."

"Well, what about you? If it's so awful, why don't you just jump out that window right now and burn in the sun in a blaze of ashen glory?"

"Ah, but that's the thing. I still have a purpose."

In a voice of feigned disinterest, Riddle implored lazily, "And what would that be?"

"To prevent a great evil from rising and killing so many others before their time. Before they've had a chance to live and experience life and enjoy their families." Thinking of the Potters, she added, "Before they've had a chance to feel home, and love and the joy that comes from a world of magic incased in a time of peace."

Riddle's mask of disinterest evaporated and he was left with the horrible light of realization gracing his dark features. "So you've come to stop me."

"Above all else. And I will succeed. Whether it be by your death, or by you seeing the error of things not yet come to pass."

"But if what you're saying is true, then I've already succeeded and all your efforts are in vane. I will become Voldemort."

"No. As the saying goes, the future is not set in stone, it's what we make of it, and like I said earlier, you have so much potential." In the blink of an eye, Jessie was once more near Riddle, this time on his bed, her face a mere foot away from his. "You don't have to be a dark lord."

Riddle sat unmoving and stared at her in almost rapt fascination and a new consideration as she went on, "You could be just as great as a wizard of light. Minister of Magic, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Wizengamot appointments...all these are within your reach, and much more. Why throw it all away? Just because your dad abandoned your mom and your mom abandoned you? WELL GUESS WHAT TOM! YOUR MOM CHOSE DEATH! She wasn't murdered! She chose to die when her love wouldn't have her. She knew when she poisoned his mind into loving her that it might end up that way. It was her choice. She didn't want, nor would she have wanted you to exact revenge on your father for this. You're taking everything out of proportion and twisting it around so you can have someone to blame for all the suffering you endured as a child in that awful orphanage."

Riddle's pale cheeks reddened as the blood rushed to his head in anger. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT!"

"A lot more than you do. And let me tell you something-Living forever and making others miserable will never take away the pain. Only moving on and making a peace with yourself will do that!"

For the first time since she had met him, Riddle let his mask completely slip to reveal a confused, defeated young man. Finally, Riddle looked to her and said, "When did you become my ghost of Christmas future?"

Jessie gingerly laid a cold hand on his shoulder. "When I found out that you were you...and you were real."


	14. Chapter 14

**A Future Riddle**

**Chapter 14. Old Habits Die Hard**

The new arrangement proved to be quite uncomfortable. Because Riddle could not be trusted by himself, Trixz followed him everywhere. The other students looked on with curiosity as the smartest, most-likely-to-succeed student at Hogwarts quickly walked through the halls being trailed by the infamous feline. A few Gryffindors were even brave enough to poke fun at him and his new 'friend'. Unfortunately for them, Trixz didn't take kindly to being the brunt of anyone's joke and the troublemakers often found themselves being placed in detention by everyone's favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. They could never figure out how Professor Pandora knew about their behavior, but they were positive the cat had something to do with it.

Another device Dumbledore and Jessie implemented to contain Riddle was to place him on the Slytherin Quidditch team. Naturally, he protested profusely, but the two were firm in their decision. They reasoned that if Riddle was in some kind of extracurricular activity, he wouldn't have near as much time to mull over being the conqueror of the universe. Jessie coordinated with Slughorn who was more than willing to let her assign herself as the Slytherin team supervisor and accompany Riddle to and from the Quidditch Pitch.

The rest of the team did not take kindly to Riddle at first, having him basically thrust upon them, but after discovering his natural talent as a beater, the hard way, they quickly relented and accepted him. Jessie thought it a very useful outlet for his overabundant reservoirs of pent up aggression. It was very likely that he imagined her face on every bludger he knocked the crud out of.

The worst part of Riddle's new life, to both Jessie and himself, however, was his dormitory arrangement. Both Dumbledore and Jessie resolved that it would be unwise to allow Riddle free reign in the Slytherin dorm. They wouldn't be able to monitor him and he could easily sway the entire house against the rest of the school. The most obvious conclusion, therefore, was to move Riddle to Jessie's roomy dungeon apartment. Jessie, after turning blue in the face and vamping out, had requested to know why Riddle couldn't be assigned to some other faculty's apartment room. Dumbledore had calmly explained that the only two who knew the dangers this entailed were her and himself and he in no way would room with the boy because…well, he didn't exactly come right out and say it, but Jessie got the impression that Dumbledore might actually be living with someone, or had plans to at any rate. So, long story short, Riddle was staying in Jessie's magically enhanced apartment in a room off of her living area. Trixz slept in the living area and would keep guard during the nights. If Riddle so much as got out of bed to pee, Trixz would mentally notify Jessie and the Vampire would throw on some clothes and rush out of her own room to make sure the boy didn't do anything rash. Like light her on fire as she slept.

Only a week into this arrangement, and things were already getting out of hand.

"YOU INSUFFERABLE MANGY BEAST! EITHER LET ME PASS OR I'LL-

"Mr. Riddle? Is everything all right?" Dumbledore said, a hint of suppressed amusement evident in his eyes as he took in the scene of Tom Riddle, heir of Slytherin, having a heated argument with a cat.

Trixz herself seemed just as heated as she responded in kind by hissing, her face contorting into its vampiric form, her eyes hardening and her fangs elongating. Though small, it really did appear to the casual observer that she was more than capable of handling herself. Albus knew better though.

"Another disagreement with Trixz?" Dumbledore asked the rhetoric question with a soft, contemplative ring.

Tom turned his glare from cat to Professor and finally acknowledging the Deputy Headmaster's presence, he stiffly answered, "Yes. _Professor_. This foolish creature persists in following me EVERYWHERE." He turned to give a quick leer down at Trixz and then sneered to Dumbledore, "Even the bathroom."

Dumbledore was a bit taken aback by the boy's outward display of emotion. But it was understandable. Lately, his eyes had been taking on the frantic look of a caged animal and dark circles could be seen beneath his eyes and the hollows of his cheeks were looking grimly skeletal. Tom was not his usual, poised self.

"Well Tom, though it pains me to say it, you did bring this upon yourself. I had hoped it would not come to this, but alas." Dumbledore truly was sorry about the situation. There was greatness in the boy, if only he could seize it and act on it responsibly. That had been his intention, to show the boy the light, but somewhere along the line, dark dreams had consumed the boy until all that was left before the Professor was a vengeful, hate consumed soul. It truly was a pity.

Tom obviously had a different opinion on the matter, however, but on threat of Azkaban, he swallowed the cutting remark on the tip of his tongue and not trusting himself to say anything reasonable in the Transfiguration Professor's presence, he gave a very curt nod and trounced away. Trixz following closely on his heels.

Once out of Dumbledore's earshot, Tom hissed at the cat, "I'm not sure at the moment whom I hate the most." Trixz's amber eyes locked onto his and Tom knew that she comprehended. "Oh, not to worry. You're in the running. You, Dummy-bore, and that pale bitch." Trixz growled. Tom spun around and kicked out at her but she jumped out of the way and gave a hiss. He turned around again and resumed walking. Conscious of the fact that everywhere he went that flee-infested, foul-breathed excuse for a creature followed, and kids laughed.

Sitting down in Slughorn's classroom, Riddle busied himself with setting out his potion ingredients as the Slytherins that normally sat by him gave him an unusually wide birth, their whispered rumors bearing down on his ears like a thousand wailing banshees.

"_I hear he killed someone_."

"_No No! He got caught sleeping with Clarona of course! Why else do you think she's been acting so funny_?"

"_Do you think that's why he's not in our dorms anymore_?"

His jaw twitched and his fingers trembled as he fought the urge to reach into his pocket for his wand and curse them all. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted Orion and a few of the other Knights. They all knew a hint of what had transpired that night, but they kept their silence. Tom could almost sense their anxiety to ask him what had happened, and what would happen, but they were too fearful of Tom's new guardians. _Cowards_.

If there was one thing in this entire arrangement that was to his liking, it was the fact that he no longer had to share his room with purebloods. How he secretly hated them! He hated them all. Before, he had tolerated their support because it meant a means to eliminating a race he loathed even further. Disgusting Muggles. He was beginning to think that the only way he could ever find peace would be mass genocide. As long as he had a snake to converse with, he would be perfectly fine devoid of all humans. Too bad that Pandora had murdered his Basilisk. The serpent had been as wise as Salazar had been shrewd, and as fierce a friend as Riddle had ever thought possible. Someday, _Jessie_ would pay dearly for that.

After a simple lesson on the uses of the Hydopurity Potion and their brewing of it, in which Tom, as had been the case since his first year, finished both first and with the highest marks, he left the dungeons and made his painstaking journey to Defense Against the Dark Arts. His former favorite class. _Definitely not anymore_, Tom thought darkly

as he took a seat to the back and watched dully as Trixz took up a position beside him, effectively preventing anyone from sitting next to him, on the off chance someone would want to that is.

Tom waited at his desk for the evil bitch-monger to arrive, watching the other students chat and laugh amongst each other. He saw a pretty Hufflepuff girl he couldn't remember the name of shoot him a pitying smile and laid his head down with a thunk. How could this possibly be happening to HIM! Being pitied by a Hufflepuff was a new low in a recent landslide of lows Tom had been experiencing. He felt so damn wretched! And it was all because of-

"Good afternoon class!" Jessie said as she briskly paced up the aisle way to her desk at the front of the classroom.

Most of the Hufflepuffs and even a few of the Slytherins returned her greeting. Jessie noticed Tom at the back of the class. He appeared to be murdering her slowly with his eyes. She sent him a welcoming smirk and turned to the chalkboard.

"Now I know many of you will be relieved to know that we are now done with our unit on Unforgivables. I want to move on to chapter eight, so if all of you could please turn your books to page 297, we'll begin our lesson today with shield charms and other defensive mechanisms."

There was a great rustling of pages as the thirty or so students did as they were instructed. Jessie saw with a frown that Riddle was not among that number.

"Mr. Riddle. Is there some problem?" She caught the evil glint in his eyes too late and wished that she hadn't singled him out.

"Yes, Miss Pandora. I'm afraid there is." All students were now paying attention to the conflict developing between the two. It was a regular occurrence in DADA that Tom and the Professor would argue. It was all some eager young entrepreneurs could do to not sell popcorn.

"You have a problem learning shield charms?" Jessie asked incredulously. A few of the Hufflepuffs snickered.

Tom ignored her jest and went in for the kill, something he had been saving as a last resort. "The chapter after Unforgivables, as I've noticed, was actually about Dark Creatures. Creatures such as Werewolves and Vampires. Did you want to tell the class why we're not going to be covering that lesson just yet?" _Or shall I?_

Jessie's imagination didn't have to work hard to pick up his implied threat. She narrowered her eyes. "First off Mr. Riddle, I don't much care for your tone. Five points off from Slytherin." Some moans could be heard from the Slytherins in the class and some of them actually shot Tom annoyed looks. They bounced off of him unseen however as his unwavering gaze was fixed heatedly on Jessie. "Second, in reference to your question, since I am the teacher, and you are the student, it is my privilege to design your lesson plans, not the other way around, and in no way do the authors of our book dictate to me what structure I may use in my lesson plans." Addressing the whole class, Jessie added, "It is my reasoning to move directly from Unforgivables to shield charms so that I may make sure all of you have a solid foundation in defense. After all, that is the purpose of this class."

Pacing the room, her eyes now aglow as she started to lecture, "You need to know what is out there. You all know about the Unforgivables now," she scoured the busy faces as they began on their notes and called out, "Priscilla, name for me the three curses and their effects."

As Pricilla, like the good eager beaver she was-listed off the answers mindlessly, Tom fumed. His trump card! And she had waved it off like a pesky fly!

He wanted to scream! And then, he wanted to kill her. Well, maybe not in that order. Yes, kill her first and then scream! Wait, why would he scream if she were dead? He would think that he'd be overjoyed if that occurred.

Tom shook his head. He really was falling apart. Slumping over in defeat, he rested his head against the cool wood of his desk and thought of all the fun ways he could kill that damn cat in the large castle. Meanwhile, Professor Pandora droned on, harboring the importance of pathetic spells such as Protego.

That evening, as Tom sat alone in the changing room, the back of his sweaty head resting against the cold surface of his green locker, he heard footsteps. Sitting up, he reached for his shirt, which was hidden under the sleeping Trixz. He took great satisfaction in ripping it out violently from under her. Unfortunately, she in turn took great satisfaction in ripping it under her as he pulled it. The end result was a ripped white button down with peach cat fur covering it. Scrunching his face up in disgust and shooting the cat his best glare, Riddle quickly slipped into the remains of his shirt just as the figure emerged into his view.

Jessie took one look at his shirt and laughed. Riddle rolled his eyes in annoyance and pulled out his wand. It was his turn to smirk as she tensed, but he merely repaired the cuts in the fabric. Pocketing the Phoenix feathered wand, Riddle stood up, awaiting the reprimanding that was sure to come for whatever Trixz had tattle-tailed on him. He briefly wondered what the Vampire would do to him if he killed her cat right then.

Sensing Riddle's patience was uncommonly thin this evening, Jessie jumped right in. "You know your curfew is at nine."

Riddle sneered, "It's not like I was off murdering innocent little Muggle babies and their puppies. I was just enjoying the freedom of not having you breathing down my neck with that foul blood breath of yours every five seconds."

"Curfew is a set time Riddle. I know it might be hard for you to follow, but the general gist is that you turn in at a specified time. In this painful case, nine-o-clock."

Tom rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, "Painful indeed," as he gathered up his belongings and exited the Quidditch Pitch. Jessie picked up Trixz and gave her friend a reassuring pet before heading off after the boy.

Entering their shared common, the password falling from his lips with as much distain as he could muster, "Artorius," Riddle immediately made a beeline for his private room. He was almost through his door when Jessie called out, "Not so fast Riddle. We need to discuss that stunt you pulled today."

"Not another lecture!" Tom angrily shuffled back into the common and dropped wearily into one of the armchairs. He just knew she picked this time of night to talk to him, specifically because he was at his weakest. The carnivorous bitch. Last night it had been an in depth history lesson on the plight of Arthur of England, their dungeon password's namesake. She had gone on and on about the nobleness of Arthur and his Knights and how above all else, he fought for equality for all Britains. Tom had nearly choked on his boredom. Like he didn't already know the story of the pathetic Muggle idealist, Arthur, or Artorious, the Bear. He'd come across the name so often in his research of Merlin that mention of the man put him into a fit of gagging.

Jessie ignored his outburst. "We already talked about this Tom." She let her commanding Professor voice drop as she went on, sounding as weary as he felt, "What don't you understand? Going to Dippit with my condition will do you no good. He knew when he hired me. And if you go straight to the students to try to get their parents against me, you know Dippit will stick by his decision." Riddle turned away from her, once more defeated and gazed into the happily crackling fire, wishing he had the will power to just throw himself in.

Jessie saw his sulking look and rolled her eyes. He liked to act so mature, but underneath, he was still just a teenager. Angsty as any, perhaps more than some. "How was Quidditch practice?"

Riddle looked surprised at her question, but his features darkened almost immediately as he sniped, "Don't pretend to care. I'd rather move back into that orphanage than suffer pity from the likes of you! I've had enough pity today."

"Really, and who was kind enough to bestow it upon one as unappreciating as yourself?" Jessie asked arching an eyebrow.

Riddle realized his mistake and looked back toward the fire in humiliation.

Jessie watched him for a few moments before shaking her head in annoyance and heading over to her room. Over her shoulder, she called, "I really am making an effort. You would be wise to do the same."

Once he had heard her lock click into place, Riddle glanced around for the crème-colored feline he knew to be lurking. Sure enough, his eyes fell upon Trixz as she sat on the sofa arm nearest to his chair, watching him intently. Her tail was flicking back in forth in a steadfast manner. It had surprised him the first day of her trailing how much the flicking of her tail unnerved him. It had the grating effect of nails on a chalkboard and brought to his mind the frustration of a tapping pencil. But it went on. She seemed almost hypnotic in her flicking. Back and forth it went, screaming to him, "I'm. Watching. You."

Staring back at the cat, Riddle felt something suddenly wash over him. It was a feeling he'd not had since he'd been a small child in the orphanage. He felt curious. He wanted to feel if her fur was really as soft as it looked. Realizing what he was contemplating, Riddle recoiled in disgust.

But the absurd thought wouldn't leave him. Hating himself for his curiosity, he called out softly, "Come Trixz."

At first, the cat just regarded him. She sensed a trap and was anything but stupid. But, as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. Which was to be the cat in this venture, neither was sure.

Throwing doubts to the wind, Trixz leaped off the sofa and boldly onto Riddle's lap. He was surprised at her recklessness, but rewarded her with an awkward pet.

Trixz leaned into his hand and began to purr, her amber eyes glowing with sinister contentment.


End file.
